A Lingering Feeling
by Jncera
Summary: How long does it take for two people who are seemingly destined to be together to fall in love? Longer than you may think, as love doesn't erupt from a shock of realization, but grows slowly from a series of moments and a lingering feeling. Spitfire.
1. Dawn

**PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU START:** First of all, this is **not** going to be a normal story with a normal plot. This will be a **series of one-shots** in chronological order that build upon each other, focusing on **moments of interaction between Wally and Artemis** as they become closer friends, and perhaps something more. Love isn't always black and white, yes or no. Love isn't a lightning bolt of realization; love is a gradual fire that grows from a single spark, and whether that fire is powerful enough to create passion, or is stopped by a torrent of water, well, only time can tell. In addition, Wally and Artemis are only 15, and who truly knows what love is at that age? So come join me on this journey and see where the wind will blow these two.

When I outlined this entire story, **I was unaware of Artemis's eye color** because I was confused over how the show portrayed them, and how the tie-in comics did. When I later found out there's canonically grey, it was too late to change some of the scenes. I try to emphasize the grey more often, but sometimes there are flecks of blue.

Secondly, when I outlined this story, **Wally's birthday episode hadn't aired**. Therefore, I made his birthday in April, and Artemis's in November. Please don't message me about these things because I will ignore and delete them. Thank you!

Thirdly, **the dates correspond with the dates on the show**. There are many chapters that reference certain episodes, like "Homefront", and "Insecurity". So I guess head's up.

**Rated T** for language and minor adult innuendos.

_Inspired by "__**It Only Takes a Moment**__" by __**EmaniaHilel,**__ a Teen Titans fiction focusing on the relationship between Raven and Robin, and hands down my favorite piece of writing on this site._

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice D:

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><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_**  
>I. Dawn<strong>  
><em>n. The first appearance of daylight in the morning; The beginning or rise of anything.<br>v. To begin to grow light in the morning; To begin to open or develop_

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><p><strong>Mount Justice<br>August 20, 6:02 EDT**

The first thing Artemis noticed when she gradually woke was the smell. It wasn't an unpleasant odor; it was actually quite comforting. It smelled like a swirl of lavender and vanilla, mixed with the scent of rainwater on stone. However, this is what bothered her. This wasn't what her room was supposed to smell like. Her room smelled like the pine from her bed-frame, and laundry detergent—default smells that could never be evaded or changed.

The second thing Artemis observed was the darkness surrounding her. The window in her bedroom faced east, and no matter which way she turned or how tightly she shut her eyes, the morning sun would always find a way to sneak past her defenses and fill her senses. Even the curtains of nighttime couldn't shroud against the brightness; the street-lamp from outside her window never relented its fluorescent glow that trickled through her blinds like an annoying cold draft.

And lastly, Artemis became aware of the sheets around her. They were the softest cocoon of warmth she had ever felt in her life. Her sheets back home only served their purpose as being night-time insulation—nothing more, nothing less.

Finally, after noting these differences, alarm surged through her, but Artemis remained calm. Years of training had taught her "she who panics first, dies first". She leveled her breathing, and gazed through the darkness, using her ears to listen for the faintest noise, while she willed her mind to remember…

"_Batman will debrief you all in the morning. In the meantime, I suggest you all stay here for the night, as there is no point in going home at such a late hour." Red Tornado finished his message, and turned to walk away…_

"_Ahem. You never said what happened to you when you put on the helmet."_

"_Energy from the thing rewrote my brain's beta-waves. I was bio-scripted into becoming Doctor Fate for a few minutes. No big."_

"_Wait. You're _still_ claiming there's no such thing as magic? If that's how you feel, why keep it at all?"_

"_Souvenir!"_

"_Geek!"_

A relieved sigh escaped Artemis' lips and she chuckled to herself. It was always disorienting at first to wake up in a different area. She sat up, and the lights in the room automatically flickered on, revealing a fairly large stone room, with her bed in the center. She looked down at her sheets and lightly glided her fingers across. She leaned over and picked up her watch from the nightstand, and peered at the time. It was too early for Batman's debriefing, but to go back to sleep seemed like a waste of time since she was already awake. She slid out of the bed and headed for the closet. Even though she, Robin, Wally, and Kaldur didn't live here, they each had a designated room, and a closet filled with clothes, reserved for impromptu over-night stays like this. Artemis reached for a shirt, when her eyes fell upon something else. For a second she hesitated, and then her hand changed its course and picked it up. _Why not?_ she thought. It was always something she had wanted to do ever since coming to Happy Harbor.

Minutes later, Artemis stepped out onto the beach, wearing an emerald halter-bikini set and holding a towel under one arm. The sky was clearing from the nighttime rainstorm, but as she walked, she could feel the cold and damp sand crumble between her toes. She spotted someone sitting alone a distance away, with his knees drawn up to his chest as he faced the sea in deep contemplation. Artemis smiled and made her way quietly towards him, her footsteps as delicate as a jungle cat's.

"Isn't it a bit too early for life-guard duty, Bay-Watch?"

Startled, Wally whipped his head around at her voice, but then just grumbled when he saw it was only Artemis. "Isn't it a bit too early to be out of your tower, Rapunzel?"

"Ha, that's actually a good one!" Artemis laid down her towel on the sand next to him and sat down. She followed his gaze towards the gray line between sea and sky. She stretched out her legs in front of her and leaned back on her elbows. "Couldn't sleep?"

"No, actually, I'm sleepwalking," replied Wally sarcastically. He glanced over and finally noticed what Artemis was—or actually in this case, wasn't—wearing.

"Great," she replied in the same tone. "Since you won't remember any of this when you wake up, I can technically ask you _anything_."

Wally shrugged, but remained silent, not because he was trying to be difficult, but because he was trying to figure out why the hell Artemis was wearing _that_ right _now_ next to _him_.

"Like, what _actually_ happened to you when you put on the Helmet of Fate," continued Artemis.

Wally found his voice with great difficulty. "I told you," he replied. "I was bio-scripted into—"

"Wait," Artemis pushed herself up and turned to face him, "so you remember _nothing_ of the incident? You just put on the helmet, and then it felt like you were...well, sleepwalking?"

Wally slowly moved his head and gazed back into her eyes. It puzzled him how they always seemed to change color. Sometimes they looked like ice, and sometimes they appeared almost black, but right now they were a clear and questioning gray. "Annnnd why do you want to know?" he asked.

"Just curious," Artemis sighed and leaned back down, this time all the way onto her back with her hands folded on top of her abdomen. "It's not every day that someone you know becomes Doctor Fate…It's kind of like asking someone back from the dead what the after-life is like, you know?"

Wally remained quiet and stared off into the sea, his eyes following the continuous forming and crashing of each wave. "I watched him die," he finally answered in a low voice. "He just…_died_…right in front of me…I tried giving him CPR, but he was already gone."

Artemis shifted her head to face Wally, but he had leaned forward so she found herself looking at the back of his yellow shirt. His honest admittance startled her. She would have believed herself to be the last person on the team he would hold back any qualms about exposing his inner thoughts and emotions. It had only been twelve days since they met, and on the wrong foot at that, and yet here he was, making her the first person to hear his true thoughts about his experience with Kent.

She bit her lip and looked back at the sky. "I'm sorry…" she said softly, not knowing what else to say to something so raw.

Wally wasn't sure what was prompting him to be so transparent with the girl next to him—the same hot-headed girl that seemed to make it her personal mission to argue with everything he said. Maybe it was just the somber topic, or the fact that he just _had_ to talk to someone—_anyone_. But he also knew that for some unknown reason, past all the bickering and rolling eyes, he found it easy to talk to Artemis, and continued to voice more of his thoughts.

"And that's why I'm out here so early in the morning. I kept having dreams—nightmares—about him. I couldn't get the image of him dying out of my head, and each time my mind would replay it, the scenario would be different, and a lot more…" His voice trailed off and he fell back into silence.

Artemis didn't respond, but continued to stare quietly at the silver-blue sky above her, lost in her own disconcerting thoughts. _I know exactly what you mean_, she pictured telling him in her mind, unable to find the resolution to voice it out loud.

"I've never seen anyone die before," whispered Wally, his voice barely audible over the murmuring of the waves. "Like, I didn't even know him, you know, but when he fell down and became still, it…it was—"

"Like feeling your soul suddenly detach from your body, and there isn't anything in the world except you and them."

Artemis gave a little start, having realized that she had just voiced her thoughts out loud accidentally. She nervously glanced at Wally, and found him staring quizzically back at her. A million excuses darted through her head, but she couldn't think of one fast enough before…

"Yeah," Wally agreed, still looking over his shoulder at the archer. "It does feel a little bit like that. How…?"

Artemis turned the opposite direction to hide her face. "Where I come from, y-you see a lot of that…" She focused on the small mounds of sand within her vision, tracing their gentle slopes and valleys with her eyes and imagining them as dunes in the Sahara.

Wally turned back and rested his head on his bent knees. He had a feeling she had more to say, but had no desire to voice them, and for once he didn't taunt her.

Finally Artemis spoke again, breaking the silence with her soft voice:"'Life is a great sunrise. I do not see why death should not be an even greater one.'"

"I never thought you to be the philosophical type, Rapunzel."

"It's a quote by Vladimir Nabokov. And are you going to keep calling me that from now on, Bay-Watch?"

Wally ignored her, and continued to gaze towards the ocean where the yellow rays of the sun reached out from the gates of daybreak. "Why couldn't death be a great sunset then?"

"I suppose it could be if you don't believe in an afterlife."

"Tch, not really…" He paused and his thoughts lingered on Kent's conversation about "ascending". "Actually," he finally admitted, "I don't know anymore." A hush fell between the two again, before Wally continued, "And I wish I could say he's in a better place, but his soul is still trapped inside the Helmet, for who knows how long…"

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "And you know this because…?"

"Um, when I put the Helmet on, I got um, sucked inside of it?" He wasn't sure why he ended the statement with a question, but maybe it was because it sounded extremely odd saying all this out loud. "Kent said his soul remained inside since he spent so many years with the Helmet on. And when I was inside, I could see everything, and feel everything. " He winced, remembering. "I could only take the Helmet off after Kent made a bargain with Nabu that he would stay inside, instead of me." Wally paused. "And it makes we wonder if that decision was too selfish of me."

Suddenly he felt a warm hand on his shoulder, and turned around to find that Artemis had sat back up and was looking at him concernedly. "I think Kent knew what he was doing," she said. "And you did the right thing. You saved the world from Klarion and Abra Kadabra."

Wally managed a small smile. "Well, I can't believe I'm saying this but, um, thanks."

"No prob, Bay-Watch," returned the archer. She removed her hand from his shoulder and returned her attention to the scenery before them. "You know, I've never actually seen a sunrise on the beach before."

"It's calming," the speedster pointed out.

She feigned a gasp of surprise. "You, _calm_? Is that even _possible_?"

And to her amazement, Wally didn't retaliate with a witty comment of his own. He instead just kept his eyes on the sky-line, and Artemis joined him in observing the breaking of dawn. Remnants of the night's rain-clouds drifted lazily through the steel-blue sky, like haggard creatures worn out from battle, only seeking to retire in their heavenly beds of blue. The jade-green sea was calm, and moved in its eternal dance of inhaling and exhaling waves. Birds began darting around, calling out their good-morning's. Far off, from the edge of the sea, the golden sun climbed higher, reaching its triangular rays out from beneath the gray clouds and outlining them with its rosy light.

"There goes your twin brother Apollo in his chariot," Wally teased.

Artemis snorted. "If only I had a dollar for every time I heard that."

The two fell silent again, and to the waves and birds. A warm breeze brushed past, and it carried a trickle of the scent of sun-block to Wally. Finally he spoke up, breaking the stillness between them. "Um, so…what are _you_ doing here so early?"

"I thought I'd go for a swim," Artemis answered, nodding at the water.

_Oh right, D'UH WALLY, that's why she's wearing…that_, he thought, mentally giving himself a slap. "Um, why don't you just swim in our pool?" he asked pointedly.

"Why swim in a pool when you have an ocean? Swimming in a pool is a false sense of freedom," she elaborated. "You twirl and glide effortlessly and weightlessly…but in the end you're still enclosed by four concrete walls. It's like an underwater hamster wheel. This—" she gestured towards the sea, "—is the real deal."

"Well, except for the fact that you can't swim too deep or far out."

"I could if I wanted to." She stretched out her arms against her legs and lowered them to grab the soles of her feet, holding her pose.

"Chyea, and then I'd have to go wake up Kaldur to find you, and hell hath no fury like a groggy Atlantian."

"But I won't. I could, but I won't, and that's the thing. The sea gives me choices that a pool couldn't." Artemis slowly rose back up, and began stretching her arm muscles.

"There are sharks too," he pointed out. "Great Whites, Tiger Sharks, Thresher Sharks…"

"I guess that's the price for freedom—or for anything worth having in life," she mused, bringing one arm and then the other against her chest too loosen up her shoulders. "Nothing good ever comes without a chance of sacrifice…" She put one hand behind her, and twisted her back, hearing and feeling the satisfying popping noises. She turned around and repeated in the opposite direction. "Hmm, you almost sound like you don't _want_ me to go swimming in the ocean."

Wally brushed her off. "Tch. What gives you that idea? Like I care what you do around here."

Artemis lied back down on her towel and started doing crunches. Wally happened to glance over at her abdominal muscles, and reminded himself to never stop working out if he wanted to get on her level. "Let's see," said Artemis between her sit-ups. "Telling me not to swim too deep…or too far out…and to watch out for sharks…Are you going to remind me to put on sun-block next?"

Wally scoffed and jerked away. "Ugh, no way am I falling for that stupid flirting trick."

"What!?" Artemis stopped and sat up quickly, and then glowered when she realized what he had meant. "Wally, sometimes I just want to _punch_ you."

The speedster stuck out his tongue at her. "You can't touch what you can't catch."

Artemis narrowed her eyes. "And for the record, I _already_ have sun-block on."

_Yeah, I can tell_, Wally was about to say, but stopped himself. "The water looks cold," he said instead.

"Just because it _looks_ cold, doesn't mean it _is_ cold," stated Artemis. "And besides," she turned and gave him a small smile, her eyes now a light blue, "you never know unless you put your foot in, right?" She stood up and executed a perfect back-bend, and swung her legs through the air until she was on her feet again.

Wally raised an eyebrow. "Show-off." Suddenly, a hand was in front of his face. He looked up and saw Artemis stretching out her palm.

"Come on," she said, wiggling her fingers. "Let's go swim."

"_Let's_?" he repeated, taken aback.

"Well, I need to use _something_ to distract the sharks away from me."

"Ha, very funny," Wally took her hand and stood up. "You mean you're too _scared_ to go swim alone."

Artemis snorted. "Good luck trying to find something that scares _me_."

He crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow. "Challenge accepted."

"Whatever Bay-Watch. At least I'm not the one wearing _Batman_ boxers."

Wally looked down and inwardly screamed. In his hazy post-nightmare condition of hastily wandering out towards the beach for some fresh air, he had forgotten to put on any pants (or shoes, but that was unimportant). In any case, he had expected to be alone anyway. But the sun now clearly illuminated the grey bat symbols against the black background of his boxers' fabric. _Great, just great_, he mentally kicked himself.

"_Batman_? Really?" Artemis cocked an eyebrow and tried her hardest not to laugh. "Isn't that sort of a betrayal to your mentor?"

Wally looked back up at a grinning Artemis and gritted his teeth. "You…_this_…I can't _believe_…"

"Tell you what fan-boy," she replied, her blue eyes twinkling with mirth: "You swim with me, and I'll keep your peculiar wardrobe choices a secret."

Wally huffed. Maybe he _should_ have stayed inside that Helmet after all. Artemis grabbed his wrist and tugged him towards the waves.

"Come on, _Wal-man_, time for you to get this party start—" She paused, before emphasizing the last syllable, "—_ed_!"

"This is so not fair!" But he reluctantly followed Artemis and her vice-like iron grip. When the first wave of water hit his feet, he repeated himself again in an agonizing cry. "This is _totally_ not fair! The water is ice-cold!"

"Is not!" Artemis shouted back. "It's fine, you big wuss!"

"Are your neurons dead?!" He yanked his wrist from her grasp, and turned around, but before he could take one step towards the safety of drier (and warmer) land, a wall of cold hit his back and nearly knocked the air out of him. He whipped around and found Artemis submerged up to her stomach, laughing. She stuck out her tongue and quickly splashed him again.

"Arg!" Wally brought his arms to his face, but he felt the stinging cold all the same. "You're a dead goddess, Artemis!" Ignoring the sudden temperature change, he charged through the waves at her, and would have caught her if she had not slipped under the water at the last minute. He paused, and then scanned the surface. Sure enough, Artemis surfaced a few yards away.

"You sure don't live up to your name, Kid _Snail_!" she called.

Wally smirked. "Oh we'll see about that!" He plunged into the water (_Holy mother of ….! It's cold!)_ and propelled his feet in her general direction. The same principal of super-speed worked on land _and_ in water. He reached out his arms and crashed into her torso, pulling her beneath the waves with him. Artemis kneed him in the chest on instinct, and he let go. Both rushed to the surface and inhaled gratefully. Artemis coughed and smiled at him, her breath coming out in fast little bursts through her cherry lips.

"See?" she said between gasps of air. "The water…isn't…_that_ cold. All you needed…was a bit of…motivation!"

Suddenly Wally's eyes widened and he pointed a finger behind her. "SHARK!" he yelled.

However, Artemis remained unfazed. "I told you," she said with a bored expression, "_nothing_ scares me. And plus, you _really_ thought I was going to fall for that stupid trick?"

Wally lowered his hand and raised an eyebrow at her. "_Nothing_ scares you huh? Scary movies? Haunted houses?"

She shook her head. "You know what I did when I saw 'The Grudge'? _I fell asleep_."

"Challenge accepted," said Wally again. He would have crossed his arms too, if they weren't needed for keeping him a float.

Artemis let out of sharp bark of laughter. "Well if it's you parading around in Green Lantern boxers, then I'll pass."

"Not _everyone_ is obsessed with the color green like you." He quickly reached up to brush a stray wet strand of red hair from his eyes. "In case you haven't noticed, it's _all_ about the color red."

In response Artemis flipped around and kicked a spray of water at his face as she dove underneath the dark blue waters. Wally recoiled and gagged in repulsion.

"Ugh! This water tastes _disgusting_!"

Artemis, of course, did not hear him, and continued to streamline through the water, closing her eyes and using only her ears to listen for the swirling and collapsing of waves, and felt the cool smooth water roll past her skin. Soon, a series of heavy splashes behind her alerted her to the arrival of a certain speedster, most likely bent on revenge. She surfaced and turned around just in time to see a foamy ripple, and had about a millisecond to mentally groan before she was quickly yanked under the water again. A stream of bubbles rushed past her and tickled her face. She tried to follow their upwards path, but a pair of powerful arms held her steady. Behind her, she could vaguely hear the water-clogged laugh of Wally. She twisted to the side and elbowed him sharply in the abdomen, and he let go. When they met on the surface, Wally found Artemis looking coolly at him.

"You never learn, do you?" she teased.

Before he could retaliate, M'gann's voice appeared in their heads. "_Hey, Wally and Artemis! Where are you two? Batman's here and is about to start in five minutes._"

Wally shot a glance at Artemis that clearly stated this little battle between them was nowhere near over. "_On our way, Meganlicious_," he replied in his usual jab at appearing suave. Artemis looked up at the sky in exasperation and started towards the shore.

When they reached dry land, Artemis grabbed her towel and, to Wally's surprise, offered it to him first. He looked at her dubiously. She huffed and put her free hand on her hips. "I'm not always a bitch, you know."

Wally threw up his hands in front of him. "I never said that! But I don't need a towel, not when I can do this!" He took a few steps backwards and held out his arms, and in a second a small tornado replaced his image. Artemis quickly shielded her eyes from the flying sand, but the winds subsided almost as rapidly as it began, and was replaced with a cursing Wally rolling on the sand, holding his bare feet gingerly.

"And _that's_ why I offered this to you," said Artemis, shaking the towel free of sand and draping it around her shoulders. "But on the bright side," she added as she wrung out the water from her long blond hair, "you just had a nice foot-scrub."

He narrowed his eyes, and stood up. "For the record, I blame you."

"Whatevs Kid Pedicure," she replied with a grin as they made their way back to Mount Justice. "Did this, or did this not, clear your mind of what was bothering you earlier?"

"Ha, and I thought you were just using me as shark fodder." He ruffled his hair in an attempt to dry it, but only succeeded in making it even more haphazard looking.

Artemis kept her grin, and continued to goad him. "What shark would ever _dare_ harm you when you're wearing the all-powerful Batman boxers?"

He just scowled silently at her.

**Mount Justice  
>August 20, 8:00 EDT<strong>

If The Team and Batman thought it was unusual that Artemis and Wally were forming a puddle of sea-water and sand around themselves during the debriefing session, no one said a word. If they also thought it was strange that every time Artemis would exhale sharply or pretend to cough, Wally would elbow her in the arms and grumble, no one said a word either. But in place of exchanging words, there were plenty of perplexed stares and raised eyebrows, and unbeknownst to Wally and Artemis, M'gann had telepathically linked herself up with Kaldur, Robin, and Superboy.

"_Um, does anyone know what Wally and Artemis were doing this early in the morning? Don't worry; I didn't link them up."_

"_I am not too sure if I _want_ to know..."_

"_Me neither, Kaldur. And geez, KF must be freezing! At least Artemis has a towel around her." _

"_Oh! Should I bring him a towel? I can levitate one from the bathrooms, I think…"_

"…_Is Wally wearing Batman boxers?" _

"_What? They just look like plain black boxers to me, Supes." _

"_But…never mind."_

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><p>Thanks for reading! <strong>Please review<strong> and let me know what you think!

XoXo


	2. Nightlight

**SPOILER ALERT:** If you haven't seen the movie _Paranormal Activity_, I apologize ahead of time for basically summarizing most of the plot. Oh, and the movie is rated R, but seeing how our superhero teenagers battle bad guys on a daily basis, that stuff is probably trivial.

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice, or _Paranormal Activity_.

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><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_  
><strong>II. Nightlight<strong>  
><em>I'll be watching for your light in the sky  To tell me you're scared / And you need me there _  
>– Dante Rowley, "Superhero"<p>

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><p><strong>Mount Justice<br>September 2, 22:08 EDT**

"_Why_ are we having a scary movie night again?"

Artemis sat cross-legged on the couch in a grey camisole and dark purple sleep shorts, and ran her fingers through her damp hair as it cascaded freely in around her shoulders. She watched with hidden amusement as Wally piled the coffee table with a buffet of snacks, ranging from the normal movie-night staple of popcorn, to fruit salad, brownies, and…is that cocktail shrimp?

"Why can't it just be a, oh I don't know, go-to-sleep-because-we-just-finished-a-long-ass-mission night?" she continued, her eyes following him as he went back to the kitchen. She twisted her torso around and leaned her elbows on the back of the couch and watched as he gathered a handful of soda from the fridge. "And what's with all this food? It looks like the daily menu of a pregnant woman with weird cravings. How can you have any appetite during a scary movie when a chainsaw is slicing through bodies?"

"In case you haven't noticed, Miss I'm-an-archer-with-eagle-eyes," replied Wally, setting down the soda cans with a clunk on the table, "I'm _always_ eating, regardless of movie or no movie, scary or no scary, chainsaw or no chainsaw."

"Even on the toilet?" added Artemis sarcastically. "Wait," she held up a hand, "on second thought, _please_ don't answer that."

He grinned at her and proceeded to take the DVD out of the package.

"And you never answered my question. Why are we watching a scary movie tonight?" she repeated.

"So I can win the challenge," he answered simply as he turned the television on and walked over to the myriad of machines next to the screen. "Now which one of these eight identical contraptions is the DVD player?"

"Third one from the top," answered Artemis casually. "And _what_ challenge?"

Wally pressed the button to open the disk-player and popped in the DVD. "The challenge you issued me that morning on the beach."

"The…" Artemis frowned, and when realization dawned upon her she let out a curt laugh. "When I said nothing scares me?" She continued to laugh. "Really? You were _that_ serious?"

"_Am_ that serious," he corrected her, as the title menu of the movie appeared on the screen.

"_Paranormal Activity_," Artemis read out loud. "Wow, what an original title." She leaned back into the couch and looked at Wally with a bored expression.

He turned off the lights, basking them in the buzzing blue glow of the screen, and shook the remote at her with a grin. "You will _not_ be singing the same tune after this."

"Scary movies not everyone else's cup of tea?" Artemis asked, picking out a few grapes from the fruit salad.

"Nah, they passed," Wally replied, grabbing the bowl of popcorn and sprawling out next to her. "Kaldur was too wiped out, Megan doesn't like scary movies, and Bats won't let Robin watch these things (although knowing Rob he's probably found a way to watch it even before it came out). I invited Supes but he never gave me an answer." He stuffed a handful of popcorn into his mouth and raised the remote, and attempted to speak through the mass of food.

"That's _gross_!" Artemis grimaced and twisted away from him. "Swallow before you talk!"

He gulped down the popcorn and smirked at her. "That's what she said…"

She grabbed the pillow behind her and smacked his shoulder with it, nearly transforming the popcorn in his bowl into his own personal blanket. "Grow up! And that doesn't even make sense!"

Wally protectively shielded his popcorn bowl. "No, not the _food_!" he wailed.

"Oh for crying out loud…!" Artemis grabbed the remote from his hand and finally started the movie. The screen darkened, and the first scene presented an ominous yet bare notice to the audience in plain type-writer font:

_The producers would like to thank the families of Micah S. and Katie F. and the Rancho Penasquitos Police Department for providing this footage._

A few minutes into the film, Artemis leaned over and whispered, "Sooo, are those Superman pajama pants?"

"What? No!" Wally hissed at her. "They're just plain red ones!"

She silently laughed and returned her focus to the movie. Wally exchanged his bowl of popcorn for a plate of brownies, and she took one of the brownies and settled back. "This is boring," she said between bites. "Nothing's happening. They're just arguing about the camera. I did mention how I fell asleep during _The Grudge_, right?"

"Artemis, would I _ever_ disappoint you?" Wally asked quietly, looking at her earnestly.

She nearly choked on the brownie. "Is that a rhetorical question?"

Wally grinned. "Maybe. Just keep watching."

Artemis grudgingly returned to the self-documented world of Katie and Micah, a young couple experiencing unusual paranormal activity around their house, such as flickering lights and self-animated faucets. Micah decides to take matters into his own hands and buys a "giant-ass camera", as Katie calls it, to film the strange events that occur at night in their bedroom, and is able to capture minor "hauntings", such as the door moving by itself and whispers of non-human origin. Either out of brash inquisitiveness or simple defiance, Micah continues to goad the demon, which only results in more fearsome consequences. Suddenly unworldly strident noises begin to startle the couple awake at night, and Katie starts to eerily sleep-walk with no memories…

Artemis gradually felt the foreboding that seemed to creep up each time the camera showed a night-time scene—_something_ was bound to happen, and she could only watch in apprehension of what it would be.

Wally regarded her out of the corner of his eye and he inwardly chuckled. She had unknowingly moved the pillow from her lap onto her chest, and brought her legs up so her arms were securely around both pillow and legs. With her golden hair falling around her shoulders, she appeared to be smaller and younger than she was. So, Wally thought amusingly, the fiery Artemis _did_ indeed possess a fragile and vulnerable state.

In the movie, before going to bed on the seventeenth night, Micah sprinkled a layer of talcum powder in the hallway to test the possible physicality of their tormentor. After a few hours into their sleep, the sounds of heavy footsteps are heard. At first they are distant, seeming to originate down the hallway, but then they begin to grow louder and louder until—

"BOO!"

"AAHH!" Artemis yelped and flinched away from the unexpected voice in her ear, her heart pounding like a drum-set in her chest. She looked up and her terrified eyes were quickly replaced with a glare. "SUPERBOY! WHAT THE HELL?!"

Superboy leaned away from the back of the couch and smiled. "Gotcha."

Artemis continued to stare furiously at him, breathing fast and squeezing the pillow. She had been so preoccupied with almost having a heart attack that she didn't even realize who she was leaning into, until she heard—and felt—Wally whisper into her ear.

"Ew, you smell like a girl."

She jerked her head around and came within an inch away from his face. She stared intensively for a split-second into his glowing green eyes before quickly leaning away and feeling a rush of cold air replace the warmth she had felt radiating from his body.

"In case you haven't realized," she finally responded after composing herself, "I _am_ a girl."

"I didn't take you for a lavender type of girl though," he continued to tease. "Maybe more like… essence of wild tiger, or something."

Artemis wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult, so ignored him completely and returned her attention to the screen, where Micah and Katie were now awake and making the terrifying discovery of non-human footprints leading into the room. Extremely disconcerted, but also curious, they re-trace the footprints down the hallway and into a closet that leads to the attic.

"Yo Supes, care to join us?" Wally called as he turned around. "We have lots of food if that's what you came down here for." He gestured towards the coffee table.

"No thanks. I came to get water," he raised his glass towards Wally, and then added with a grin before leaving, "and to scare Artemis."

"Superboy, I have an arrow with your name on it," Artemis growled without looking away from watching Micah climb precariously into the attic.

"You know he's like, impenetrable, right?" Wally pointed out as he faced the screen again.

Artemis didn't say anything, but the corners of her lips curled upwards as she tried to suppress a laugh. Wally, however, knew exactly what was going through her mind. "Oh, _now_ who needs to grow up?"

"At least this one makes sense," she replied nonchalantly.

He paused and grimaced. "I don't even…" He leaned forward and grabbed a plate of pizza rolls. "So, isn't it creepy that they found that picture in the space above their bed?"

"Yeah…" Artemis was only half-paying attention to Wally's words. Instead she was focused on the movie, where indeed Micah had found a picture of young Katie in the otherwise spartan attic—a picture that was supposedly destroyed in an unexplained fire during Katie's childhood.

The remainder of the movie passed in silence, with the exception of the occasional munching noises created by Wally and his premiere snack buffet. There were many moments when Artemis had a dreadfully powerful urge to bring the pillow between her and the screen, especially at the very end after a possessed Katie murders Micah, and faces the camera one last time with a demonic sneer.

_"Micah's body was discovered by police on October 11th, 2006," _the ending message stated in the same style as the title notes_. "Katie's whereabouts remain unknown…"_

A few moments of stillness passed before Wally finally spoke. "So," he said as he stretched his arms behind the back of the couch. "Did that, or did that not, absolutely scare the bajeezus out of you?"

Artemis tore her eyes away from the rolling credits and regarded Wally with a blank expression. He was about to laugh at her obvious distraught state when she finally responded.

"Nope," she replied, flipping her long hair to drape over her right shoulder. "It did not. I still have my bajeezus."

Wally finally released a guffaw, not accepting what she had just stated. "I call bull! Your bajeezus totally ran away screaming during the foot-print scene and never came back!"

"Superboy surprised me!" she countered, straightening.

"Because you were already scared to begin with!" he argued.

"Was not! I was _anticipating_ something in the _movie_, not for Superboy to suddenly have a sense of humor!"

"So, you admit what he did was funny then," he said with a grin.

"I—" Artemis glowered at him. "Ugh, this is pointless."

Wally shifted his position and lied down, his head inches away from her lap. "No it's not," he said, still smiling while regarding her upside down. "I still have to establish that I won."

She rolled her eyes. "What's in it for you, anyways? Got some stupid bet going on with Robin?"

"Nah," he declined, "I just take my challenges very seriously, and I finally found something that petrified the self-proclaimed Goddess of No Fear."

"I was not _petrified_," she contended, frowning into his emerald eyes.

"You were _so_ petrified." He pointed a finger at her. "Like that forest in Arizona."

Artemis swatted his finger way with a scoff and reached for the fruit bowl, not answering.

"Come on," continued Wally, "at least admit it was a good movie."

"Okay, it _was_ a good movie," she agreed, sifting through the varied fruit. "At the very least it didn't make me fall asleep." She picked out the blueberries and brought them one by one to her mouth.

"And, it was a good movie because it scared you, yes?" He smiled hopefully.

She held up a large and deformed strawberry and dangled it above his eyes. "If you keep this up I'm going to shove this giant-ass strawberry down your throat."

He snickered. "That's what—"

Apparently she _was_ serious, and before Wally could finish the phrase, he was half-choking on the enormous strawberry. He swiftly took it out of his mouth and coughed. "You are one vile little princess, Rapunzel!"

She shrugged and nonchalantly went back to picking out blueberries. "It's not _my_ fault that strawberry looks like it's been on plant steroids…"

Wally turned the strawberry in his hands and regarded its strange globular shape. "Yes, but…Hey! Don't change the subject!" He looked back up at her. "Just admit that movie scared you!"

"Um, no."

"No freaking way! I _felt_ every time you jumped, and _saw_ how terrified your eyes looked and _especially_ how hard you tried to hide the fact that you were _scared_ the entire time."

"Wow." Artemis looked back down at him. "I'm not sure if I should be flattered or deeply disturbed that you were watching _me_ instead of the movie the entire time."

"Well, seeing how I've seen the movie already, watching your reactions _was_ the more entertaining option." He stared inquisitively at the strawberry once more and proceeded to consume it in one bite.

"I choose deeply disturbed…" Artemis muttered to herself, and then stood up to turn on the lights.

"Don't think this isn't over," replied Wally, also standing and stretching. He then zoomed from the coffee table to the kitchen and cleared the table within seconds. "Ten points for super speed!"

"And twenty points for not lifting a finger," countered Artemis.

"Touché…"

They walked in silence out of the living room, when suddenly as they rounded the corner Superboy jumped out. Artemis screamed and stumbled backwards into Wally, her hands pressing into his chest. It took only a split second for Artemis's brain to irritably register it was only Superboy (again), and she sighed in annoyed relief, but then it took another further second for her to register exactly who she was leaning against…again.

"I conclude that I won fair and square," said Wally, looking down at her and grinning impishly.

Artemis's shocked expression quickly transformed into a scowl. "Ugh!" She pushed him away with all her strength, and stalked off without another word.

Wally stumbled backwards into the wall, and followed her with his eyes until she disappeared behind another corner. Then he looked back at Superboy and gave him a hi-five.

"Good timing," he lauded.

Superboy simply pointed to his ear and grinned, and added, "You owe me a favor now."

Wally smiled. "No prob Supes. I'm going to go do that right now and make sure Artemis isn't stabbing a voodoo doll of you with her arrows."

Superboy laughed. "I don't think that would work anyways, but thanks."

Wally started to walk away, when he asked over his shoulder, "By the way, why are you still up?"

"Um, I drank too much water..."

Wally saw that Artemis's bedroom door was still open, and walked up to it. She was standing with her back towards the door, rhythmically brushing her long shimmering hair. She sensed a pair of eyes on her, and knew right away who it was.

"What do you want," she said, without turning around.

"I saw a shadowy demon and followed him in here," he replied as he leaned casually on the doorframe, "Huh, funny, I think he went invisible…"

"If you attempt any lame pranks tonight," she warned, "I swear I'm going to punch you so hard that even your _grandkids_ will be withering in pain."

Wally remained unfazed. "I'll be sure to pass along the message to Mister Demon then."

Artemis turned around and placed a hand on her hips. "Wally…"

"Oops sorry, did I frighten you?" he teased. "Do you want a stuffed animal to cuddle with tonight, Arty? Just in case Supes decides to yell 'boo!' in your sleep? I'm sure I can find a Kid Flash one somewhere. "

"Wow, is that how _you_ cope with scary movies? You cuddle with a replica of yourself? I am _so_ impressed," Artemis replied sarcastically as she put the brush down on her dresser. "And don't call me Arty." She pointed a finger at him. "That sounds like a name you'd give an aardvark."

He laughed. "Whatever you say, _Arty_."

Artemis remained glaring wordlessly at him. Finally she crossed her arms and broke the silence. "Still not giving up?"

He mirrored her movements and continued to gaze facetiously at her. "I'm just going to stand here until you admit you were scared."

"Suit yourself," she muttered, and made her way to her bathroom, picking up her toothbrush and toothpaste. She looked up in the mirror and sighed. "Are you just going to stalk the answer out of me now?"

"One of the most important lessons learned in kindergarten," grinned Wally as he leaned against the bathroom doorframe. "If you want an answer out of someone, just keep bugging them until they break down."

Artemis ignored him but sent him fervid glares through the mirror's reflection, and they would have been effective, thought Wally, if not paired with the image of her brushing her teeth.

"You look like a rabid animal," he observed teasingly.

She removed the toothbrush from her mouth and snarled at his reflection.

"I dare you to do that to Bats next time he assigns us a mission," Wally continued.

Artemis actually laughed at the image and bent over to wash her mouth out. When she looked back up, Wally was still there, watching and waiting. She ignored him and dried herself with a towel, and then brushed past him as she walked back into her room. He followed, and sat down in a chair across from her bed. She slipped under her covers and busied herself with scrolling through her phone, pretending that there wasn't an annoyingly obdurate speedster staring at her from only a few feet away.

"Are you just going to sit there all night then?" Artemis finally spoke, not glancing away from her phone.

"Yup," he replied cheerfully, "and I'm going to let out bloodcurdling screams at random intervals throughout the night."

Artemis let out an aggravated groan and buried her head into the covers. "Why meeee?" she grumbled into her sheets.

"All you have to do is admit that the movie scared you, and I'm out here."

She lifted her head back up and leaned against the headboard. "Nothing to admit, Wally."

"So…" He lowered his voice and stared with a startling intensity into Artemis' s dark eyes. "All those times you were slowly leaning towards me were because you wanted to _snuggle_, right?"

Her eyes flashed and she threw up her hands. "Okay _fine_. I admit it. The movie _did_ scare me. Happy now?"

He smiled and pumped his fist to his side. "Cha-ching!"

She rolled her eyes. "Going to demand a prize now, or something?"

"Hmm," he tapped his chin. "I actually haven't thought of that. Rain-check?"

She waved him off. "Whatever."

"I am curious though," he said sincerely. "What about this movie made it so different than all the rest?"

She didn't answer right away, but traced her fingers in circles on her cover, contemplating his question.

"Because it messes with your mind," she started slowly, her eyes following her imaginary drawings. "In the end you're not afraid of the physical monster created by the writers and directors and put together with make-up and special effects…you're afraid of the creature that you create in your own mind from your own darkest fears…." She looked up and found him smiling at her.

"Everyone's scared of what's up here," he said, tapping his head, "even those that _claim_ to have no fear."

Artemis snorted. "So let me guess, you slept with the light on for a like month after seeing this movie then?"

"Of course not!" He paused, and then sourly admitted, "But I _did_ sleep with the light on for the first night—"

She let out a bark of laughter and pointed a finger at him. "Ha!"

"—and for the first night _only_!" he grumbled.

"Aww, did you also have Uncle Flash come and cuddle with youuu," she said cloyingly.

"Is that your way of hinting you want Green Arrow to stay with you tonight?" he replied without missing a beat.

Artemis visibly shuddered. "Ugh. That literally sent shivers down my spine. Don't _ever_ say that again."

He laughed and stood up. "Well then, I just heard something whisper to me to leave, so…"

She gave him a deadpan look. "_Goodnight_, Wally."

"Sweet dreams, Arty the Aardvark." He quickly turned off the lights and slipped out the door before Artemis could even make a move to grab her bedside lamp and use it as a projectile weapon.

Artemis sighed but even so, the corner of her lips tugged upwards on their own accord. Later that night, instead of dark ghosts, the images in her mind were replaced with a certain red-headed speedster getting caught in an assortment of comical torture devices. Wally was right; she _was_ having sweet dreams that night.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: **Fun fact** – I used to _love_ watching scary movies, that is, until _Paranormal Activity_ came along and absolutely shot my nerves and made me completely terrified of the phantoms in my mind for about an entire month. I can't believe I actually watched most of the movie again to review the plot D:

**That being said, you all better review!** Haha just kidding. But I do love my reviewers to pieces :)


	3. Spark

**A/N**: Gotham Academy is located in Connecticut, and it's been speculated that Keystone High School, Wally's school, is located in Missouri. There is a one-hour time difference.  
>As a reminder, this is <strong>rated T for swearing and some minor adult innuendos<strong>. We _are_ dealing with _teenagers_, after all.  
><strong>Pretty much Crack!fic<strong>. You have been warned. This is a **very** **whimsical** piece. I do not recommend eating or drinking while reading, or being in a public place that would be bothered if you suddenly laughed out loud…  
>Oh, and there will be some ArtemisRobin friendship bonding :) Yay!

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. Um, nor do I have anything to do with the NBA other than being infatuated with it and my favorite team :)

* * *

><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_  
><strong>III. Spark<strong>  
><em>Thus nature has no love for solitude, and always leans, as it were, on some support; and the sweetest support is found in...friendship.<em>  
>- Cicero<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Gotham Academy<br>September 12, 8:00 EDT**

As far as first days went, Artemis's fresh start at Gotham Academy was progressing smoothly. It wasn't in her nature to allow Murphy's Law to thrust itself into her life on such an occasion. If she could crack government-level security safes, navigate through dark labyrinths in abandoned buildings with nothing but moonlight peaking through dusty windows, and slip through crowds with the grace of a jungle cat, then opening her locker, searching for her classes, and moving through a high school hallway were as easy to her as shooting a stationary target in broad daylight with zero wind.

Of course, handling all the technicalities with precision didn't always translate to having a rocking good time. Even if she wasn't agitated by her new surroundings, she _was_ lonely. She had not seen one familiar face, and no one had bothered to introduce themselves to "the new kid". She sighed and reluctantly took her out notebook and began jotting down the teacher's notes listlessly. She concluded that suffering seven hours of being a bored outcast five days a week was probably the least of her worries as a vigilante anyways.

**Keystone High School  
>September 12, 9:00 CDT<strong>

"Only 168 more days to go," Wally grumbled as the bell rang and he dumped himself down into his chair, "only 168—oh who am I kidding this sucks."

He glanced at the whiteboard and saw the topic for the day was drawing Lewis structures for chemical compounds and slumped further into his chair with a bored sigh. He took out his cell-phone and began absentmindedly scrolling through it, pausing at Artemis's name. Hey, why not, he thought, desperate times call for desperate measures, right? And plus, maybe having her yell at him through text messages would keep him awake at the very least.

**Gotham Academy  
>September 12, 10:03 EDT<strong>

Artemis was doodling half-hearted diagrams of arrows tips while listening to the teacher ramble about the topics on this year's AP Biology exam when a short buzz went off in her bag, startling her into almost dropping her pencil. She reached for her phone, and frowned at the notification for a good five seconds before opening the text message.

"Get your head shoved in the toilet yet, new kid?"

Of all the people to text her, she had least expected it to be Wally. Didn't he have better things to do than bother her this early in the morning? However, his message was a welcome relief to staring at the convoluted outline the instructor was meticulously drawing on the whiteboard. She briefly glanced up at the teacher, and then replied.

"No, but I'm sure YOU know all about that experience."

She rested the phone on her leg, and in the process glared at the skirt she was wearing. She had to conclude the most infuriating aspect about switching to Gotham Academy was their obnoxious school uniforms. Everyone wore crisp white collared shirts, an indigo and gold striped tie, and a black blazer with the school emblem. The boys wore black pants, and the girls wore black pleated skirts—an absolute abomination as far as Artemis was concerned. In addition, what kind of combination was indigo and gold? The only appropriate home for that absurd pair of colors was a circus tent.

Her phone buzzed a few seconds later. Wally was obviously on the same page of ennui as her.

"Yeah," his reply said. "Doing the shoving!"

Artemis rolled her eyes and typed back, "You shove yourself into the toilet bowl? Wow, desperate much?"

She managed to finish drawing about half of the tip of her arrow when her phone vibrated again. She looked down and had to cough loudly to stymie her laugh.

"That's how I wash my hair in the mornings. Jealous?"

"Before or after you take a crap?" she responded, furtively grinning at the ridiculous turn their conversation had taken. The resulting conversation quickly formed into one of their regular banters, and her drawings were left bare and unfinished.

"After ;) It's more environmentally friendly."

"I always knew you were a POS."

"Nah. I'm just THE shit."

"So instead of the red carpet you walk on toilet paper? Glamorous."

"And water :D"

"I bet that comes in handy during lifeguard duty, Bay-Watch."

"Whatever Arty the Scaredy Aardvark. Don't turn around! There's a demon right behind you! :O"

"Hey Robin! Guess what kind of boxers Wally has?"

"…I will personally make sure your room becomes, and remains, haunted."

"With what? Toilet bowls? Lol."

**Keystone High School  
>September 12, 9:38 CDT<strong>

Wally had to hand it to that girl; she had an arsenal of ripostes, albeit irritating ones. In any case, at least class was flying by, which was unusual for a boy living in super speed. In addition, he sure wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, even if it was in the form of a silver-tongued and snarky archer.

"Well," he countered, "if you prefer poop to demons, then sure, I can arrange that."

"This is disgusting," came her reply after a brief pause."Why are we talking about poop."

"You started it!" he texted quickly back.

"BS! YOU did!"

Wally raised an eyebrow and quickly scrolled back through his sent messages. Oh, he admitted to himself, I guess I did with the whole toilet-thing…

Changing the topic, he asked her, "What's the difference between a knight and Santa's reindeer?"

"One's a biped and the other is a quadruped," she answered, obviously either not recognizing or ignoring the fact it was a joke.

"One slays the dragon, while the other is draggin' the sleigh!"

**Gotham Academy  
>September 12, 10:50 EDT<strong>

Class ended just as Artemis received Wally's text, and she could finally laugh out loud. Several students around her shot her precarious glances, but she paid them no attention. Wally was such a dork, she concluded as she slipped into the flowing throng of people in the hallway. After quickly retrieving her book for the next class and finding the classroom with swift ease, she sat down in a desk near the back and pulled out her phone.

"That was actually pretty funny. +1 for you, Wal-man."

After she sent the message, Artemis quietly observed her surroundings. The teacher was busily writing away at her desk, and the classroom was still fairly empty as the majority of students preferred to linger outside until the warning bell, reminiscing about their summer vacations. She could briefly hear snippets about this yacht party and that shopping spree and oh my god did Regina dye her hair _again_? Artemis inwardly laughed, and imagined if she were to join in the conversation. _Oh yeah, I lost my memory while in the Bialyan desert and got attacked by their army and a shirtless feral Superboy, and only escaped because Kid Flash had fast feet…nothing too spectacular. _

Her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her comical daydream.

"Do I get to redeem these points for something?" Wally asked in response.

Artemis smirked. Oh the things she could say back. "A hi-five," she replied smoothly, just as the bell rung and her classmates filed into the room.

"Bonjour!" greeted the teacher merrily, "Bienvenue à AP français! Nous allons commencer avec un quiz. Do not worry; this will not be graded. I just want to assess where you all are."

Artemis sighed and slipped her phone back into her bag. A foreign language was required for all students at Gotham Academy, and since she was quite fluent in French already, she figured AP French would be an easy A. She heard her phone vibrate just as she wrote her name on the quiz, and automatically glanced down. Hopefully Wally wouldn't assume her delay in response was caused by a lack of wit, or something equally false.

Twenty minutes later, Artemis turned in her quiz and quickly retrieved her phone.

"That better not be a hi-five to my face," Wally's message read.

She silently snorted and responded sarcastically, "No, to your ASS."

"It's fine, isn't it? Who wouldn't want to smack that, all on the floor…"

_Great_, now that song was stuck in her head, much to her aggravation, and when Artemis becomes aggravated, Artemis desires sneaky revenge. "I'll be sure to pass the message along to Robin ;)"

"Oh he knows :P So do Supey and Kaldur."

Artemis coughed. Hm, so Wally did know how to play along. "But I thought Bats was your dream-man :("

"Guys can't handle me anyways. That's why I go after the ladies."

"And the ladies run away from you," she jokingly argued. "Guess you'll just have to settle for asexual microorganisms."

"Mmm sexy binary fission."

Artemis's silent chuckled mixed with a grumbled from her stomach, and she looked up at the clock. There was still slightly less than 15 minutes before lunch time, but she wasn't sure if the uneasiness in her stomach was due to hunger or nervousness of having to fight her way through the lunch crowds. In her opinion, there really was nothing more depressing than eating alone. It was also such a gloomy scene to see someone satisfy a basic human need, but without the warmth of a companion.

She looked at her phone. Well, _technically_, she didn't have to be truly alone…

"Lunch is coming up," she texted with a sinking feeling. "This should be fun…"

"Teleport some food over here!"

Artemis gave a small smile. She had half-expected Wally to tease her status as a social pariah, but instead he just flipped something worrisome into yet another facetious situation.

"Tomato incoming to your face!" she replied.

"Silly Arty. Aardvarks don't eat tomatoes; they eat termites!"

"In that case…termites incoming to your pants!"

"No one can resist the party in there ;)"

She grinned mischievously. Oh, he had just set himself up _perfectly_…

"Yeah, I'm sure they'll have a ball with your wood."

**Keystone High School  
>September 12, 10:46 CDT<strong>

Wally read Artemis's text and immediately slammed his head onto his desk. Everyone in the room jumped and the teacher spun angrily around from the whiteboard.

"WALLY! What on earth is going on?!"

Wally let out an excruciating coughing noise and gradually sat back up. His entire face was bright red—either from suddenly pancaking onto the surface of his desk, or from straining to contain his laughter.

"Sorry," he choked out, hiding his phone. "Saliva went down…the wrong tube."

The surrounding students snickered, and the teacher frowned but slowly turned back to the whiteboard. Granted, she _was_ used to that Wally West saying strange things like that in class anyway…

Wally coughed a final time and pulled out his phone again. _Artemis, you are one feisty creature… _He was _not_ going to give her the satisfaction of knowing he had nearly died from trying not to laugh.

"Jealous?" he teased back.

"You wish."

**Gotham Academy  
>September 12, 12:07 EDT<strong>

Artemis was slightly taken aback by the sheer size of the cafeteria. It was an image straight out of a storybook college dining hall. On the far end was what seemed to be a vast buffet, and stretching towards her were mahogany tables with matching chairs, and Gotham Academy flags flying high above in the soaring ceiling. She tapped her phone to her chin and peered at the other students, observing how they formed a queue to the entrance of the buffet and swiped their student identification cards to gain access through a small turning gate. Right, she concluded, like getting onto the subway…a delicious smelling subway.

Before she could turn to find the end of the line, she was approached by a boy with smooth black hair, clear blue eyes, and a warm smile, and who could have been cute if he looked older. "Hi," he said, sticking out his hand. "You must be new here. My name's Richard, but everyone calls me Dick."

"Hi, nice to meet you," she shook his hand and smiled back. "I'm Artemis." She tilted her head and scrutinized the boy before her. "Your voice sounds familiar…have we met before?"

"Don't think so," Dick replied, his grin never faltering. "I think I would remember someone with a name as unique as yours." He turned around and beckoned to a group of people behind him. "Hey guys, come meet Artemis!"

Artemis looked behind him and saw a group of four approach them. One boy looked like a football coach's dream come true, while the other boy chattering away at his side reminded her of a lanky and hyper monkey. The two girls in the group also appeared to be complete opposites—one had large innocent green eyes and was wearing the brightest smile, while the other gazed calmly ahead of her with a characteristic of dark and silent mystery.

The first to slip in front of her was the gangly boy. "Hey there," he said, attempting to make his voice sound suave. He took her hand lightly in such a way that Artemis was afraid he was actually going to kiss it. "The name's Benji. Come here often?"

"Uh, no, I just transferred here," she responded, not quite knowing what to do with her hand.

"Stop that Benji," snapped the dark mysterious girl, swatting away his hand. "She's not going to curtsy for you." She turned to Artemis and gave the smallest hint of a smile, "I'm Rae. This is Zoey." She pointed at the other girl, who waved excitedly.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Artemis!" she responded in what was probably the sunniest manner possible. "And I adore your hair!"

"Thanks," replied Artemis, thinking if Zoey continued bouncing up and down she would probably float away from all that animated energy.

"My name is Vince, and I'm starving!" spoke the football-potential in a booming voice. He took a long whiff of the air and exhaled with satisfaction. "MmMM! I smell steak!"

He put an arm around Artemis's shoulders and steered her in the direction of the lunch line. "Come along little lady, I'll show you which are the best cuts."

"No way!" cried Benji, galloping along. "I'm sure she's all about the tofu stir-fry!"

"Man, nobody wants any of that nasty tofu stir-fry, B!" replied Vince, glaring down at Benji.

"Will you two stop it," came Rae's irritated yet placcid voice behind them. "You've been arguing about this since middle school. It's so pointless."

Artemis felt a slight tug of her ponytail and craned her neck to see Zoey staring with amazement at her blond strands. "In my country, no one has hair this golden!"

"Zoey's a foreign-exchange student," Dick whispered, suddenly appearing at Artemis's side. "She's pretty amazed at everything here."

"Yeah, that makes two of us…" she replied, staring at the buffet coming into view.

"Okay little lady," said Vince, "just swipe your ID, push through the gate, grab a tray, and help yourself to the best aspect of Gotham Academy!"

"And feel free to come back for seconds," added Dick, grinning. "Vince and Benji _always_ do."

Artemis smiled back, and followed Vince's instructions. Upon entering, she quickly snapped a picture with her phone, and sent it to Wally. This would be sure to make him squirm in his seat with green, starving, envy…

And sure enough just as she sat down at a table with Dick and the rest of his friends, she received a text back from him that implied his jaw was probably twitching on the floor.

"WHAT IS THAT SEXY THANG?"

Artemis laughed and typed back, "Just our cafeteria. No big deal."

"Who are you texting?" asked Dick as he peered over. "Your BF?"

Artemis put the phone down and answered casually, "If by BF you mean 'Bored Friend', then yes."

"I like this girl," spoke up Rae, wagging her fork at Artemis. "She's quick with her tongue."

"Ooo," smirked Benji, "that's what—"

Rae shot him a piercing glare that even Artemis was jealous of, and the boy suddenly busied himself with digging through his vegetarian stir-fry. For some reason, Benji was beginning to remind Artemis slightly of Wally. The resemblance was a bit uncanny, although only personality-wise. Benji had at least a year at the gym if he wanted to physically resemble—

"So Artemis," said Dick, thankfully interrupting her thoughts, "you said earlier you transferred here. Where from?"

"Gotham North," she replied, and then added when she saw their perplexed expressions, "I got a full scholarship here during the summer."

"Oh you mean the Wayne Scholarship?" interrupted Vince, and when Artemis nodded, he let out a low whistle. "You must be _something_ then. Only one student every couple of years receives that scholarship, right Dick?"

Dick ignored Vince and continued to chew his food. When he finished, he turned back to Artemis. "What's your schedule like? Maybe we have some classes with you."

Artemis reached into her bag for her schedule, and checked her phone simultaneously, reading Wally's newest response.

"Think they'll give Kid Flash a free meal if he shows up? :D"

She handed Dick her schedule and continued to goad Wally with her reply. "Mmm this porterhouse steak is just perfection…"

"Looks like we have Gym together," Dick observed, "and I think you have Sophomore English with Zoey and Benji."

"Hold on, you're a _sophomore_?" Benji barked incredulously while peering at her schedule, "And you're taking not one, not two, but _three_ AP classes? AP Bio, AP Chem, _and_ AP French?"

Artemis gave a nonchalant shrug while cutting through her food. "I've always been good at science."

"Yeah, but there's a difference between being _good_ at something, and being a freaking _prodigy_ at something."

Vince butted Benji out of the way and took her schedule from his hands. "Hey you're in my Bio class! Sweet!" He continued to pass her schedule to Rae.

Artemis's phone vibrated on the table and made a low guttural noise that turned everyone's heads.

"Oops, sorry," she apologized. Apparently wood was a great conductor of sound. She read Wally's bitter response of "I liked you better as a termite-eating aardvark" and made a "tch" sound through her grin.

"Whoa is that a gelato bar?" she texted back, knowing it was aggravating him—and his hunger—even more.

Dick impishly raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you _sure _that's not your—"

She waved him off. "Oh, give it a rest, Dick."

"I _really_ like this girl," commented Rae, without looking up from Artemis's schedule. "And we have French together," she added, handing the schedule back to her.

"So, do you guys eat French fries while playing the French horn while learning how to French kiss in that class?" Benji howled hysterically at his own joke, while every at the table rolled their eyes.

Soon Vince and Benji started arguing about some video game, Rae and Dick tried to explain (albeit awkwardly) to Zoey that a "French kiss" was not "just kissing a French guy", and Artemis was on the side-lines once more—not that she minded, actually.

She looked down at her phone and saw Wally had countered her teasing with, "I'm upgrading that demon to priority overnight shipping."

She sighed. He was _never_ going to let her live down being scared over that movie, but then again, she probably won't ever cease to threaten about telling the entire Team, and Justice League, about his choice of undergarments, so she supposed they _were_ even.

Well, sort of; she _did_ have this amazing cafeteria to brag about…

"Wow," she typed back, "you can also make your own ice-cream floats and smoothies!"

"I hope you gain 50 lbs by the end of the year," Wally sourly responded.

"Hey," she replied, "you're the fat-ass who never stops eating."

"Cuz these abs are OBVIOUSLY pure fat."

Artemis slowly lowered her phone, and fortunately at that moment the bell rang, distracting her from having to think about Wally's abs, which were definitely _not_ pure fat…but she didn't have to admit that.

**Keystone High School  
>September 12, 12:05 CDT<strong>

It wasn't unusual for Wally to crave this moment in the day during school, but after receiving the picture and accompanying texts of Gotham Academy's cafeteria, lunch really couldn't come any sooner. With his hyper-accelerated metabolism, the four-hour pause between breakfast and lunch was more than torture.

His phone buzzed just as he got in the lunch-line with his buddies, and he opened it to see Artemis's usual biting response.

"What abs?"

Two can play this game, he smirked inwardly, and he texted back, "Oh sorry, have you not met them? I'll be sure to walk around shirtless more often."

"Yo Wal-man," one of his friends poked him with his elbow, "finally got a girlfriend to text?"

"Yeah, your _mom_ was just sending me some of her love," Wally answered promptly as he grabbed a tray.

His phone lit up with another text notification, but before he could check it, his friend grabbed it with a smirk. "Huh, I don't recall my mom's name being '_Artemis'_."

"Would you rather me call her 'sugar-bums'?" Wally seized his phone back.

"Hey," interrupted another one of his friends named Phil, "only _I'm_ allowed to call Ted's mom that."

Wally snickered and followed them to their table. He opened his phone when they sat down and nearly choked.

"Same here ;)" Artemis had replied.

"Wow, Ted's mom sending you risqué pictures or something?" laughed Phil, receiving a glare from Ted.

Wally typed heatedly back to Artemis, "MY EYES. THEY BURN," and then read a fake message out loud to his friends, "_Please...do not…send…pics…of…naked…baby Ted. Love, Wal-man._"

"Hey," countered Ted, "I was a cute baby."

"Yeah," Wally pretended to grimace."_What happened?_"

His phone buzzed a few minutes later and he shoved his cheeseburger into his mouth to free his hands and read Artemis's response.

"CLEARLY. SARCASM."

Wally let out a muffled and amused exclamation. He actually could clearly picture her in his head narrowing her eyes at him as she irately shouted those words.

**Gotham Academy  
>September 12, 1:17 PM<strong>

"_Dalton's atomic theory comprises of four parts…first, all matter is made of atoms…_"

Artemis yawned and looked out the window next to her. She was pretty sure she learned this in middle school. Understandably, the mundane basics must be covered first before any of the more challenging aspects are introduced, but there were only so many diagrams of arrows and bows she could doodle onto her notebook. Even though she hated to admit it, having Wally to text was ironically saving her sanity.

Her phone lit up, and she opened the newest message from him.

"Aw man, so I just threw up my lunch for nothing?"

"Quick!" she texted back. "5 second rule!"

"You're gross. Brb PE. I hope it's track day so everyone can eat my dust :D"

"I hope it's football and you get pummeled."

Artemis smiled at the mental image of Wally getting comically dog-piled by Vince-look-alikes, and slipped her phone into her bag. And then suddenly she realized she smiled every time she received one of Wally's ridiculous messages. The thought troubled her slightly because it was so unexpected, but in a way it didn't surprise her. She smiled because they were humorous messages, right? She smiled because it was comforting not to be so alone during her first day at a new school, right?

She gazed out the window and her eyes rested on two pigeons resting on the immaculate green lawn, doing absolutely nothing but lazily staring off into the same direction. A stray breeze ruffled one pigeon's feathers, and the other turned to stare at it as if laughing at its disheveled look.

Or maybe she smiled because she honestly was starting to enjoy his company?

The pigeons suddenly took to the air and Artemis returned her eyes back to her notebook.

Nah, she laughed to herself, I still want to strangle him most of the time.

**Gotham Academy  
>September 12, 2:10 PM<strong>

The first thing Artemis noticed when she stepped into the indoor basketball court was the crisp smell of fresh paint and wood.

"Coach says it was remodeled over the summer," spoke Dick as he appeared next to her.

"I can tell…" she replied, thinking of all the damage Amazo, Superboy, Kid Flash, and…_wait a second_. She turned to her side, but found that Dick had stealthily vanished, and when she looked for him, he was already on the other side of the court, dribbling a basketball and practicing his shots. She made a move to call his name, but the gym instructor arrived at that moment and blew his whistle, startling her out of her thoughts.

Apparently it was a gym class tradition to start off the academic year with a basketball game. Dick and another girl were chosen as team captains and point-guards, and to everyone's surprise, Artemis was Dick's first pick.

"You put a lot of faith in me," she whispered to him as the two teams walked towards the midcourt line.

He merely grinned. "You look like the sporty type." He then gestured for her to the center-circle for tip-off.

When the whistle blew, Artemis leaped up with lightning-fast reflex and swatted the ball towards Dick, and ran down the court with him, both dodging opposing players with fluid ease. Dick charged at the basket with the ball, but halted as the defense surrounded him. He swiftly feigned a left pass only to toss the ball daringly beneath a defender's stretched legs to Artemis on the three-point line. An opponent quickly blocked her from the basket, forcing her to turn around. She held the ball for a split-second—precisely just enough time to register at what angle the basket was behind her by observing her position on the line. She whipped around, and before the defender could register her movements, launched the ball cleanly through the basket. The coach blew the whistle, signaling a score, and the opposing team grabbed the rebound with a huff.

"Looks like I was right," Dick grinned, hi-fiving Artemis as they ran down the court.

The remainder of the game consisted majorly of Dick and Artemis executing flawless pick-and-rolls. He never missed an opportune and intuitive pass, and she never missed a shot with her eagle eyes and excellent coordination. By the end of the game, their team had won by a landslide of 47 to 28.

"Rock on," congratulated Dick as they walked out the gym, "You should join the team."

Artemis laughed. "Oh, pass. I'm pretty busy after school. How about you? You seem to have some NBA potential."

"Nah," he declined, "I have stuff after school too."

Artemis faced him and started to ask, "Hey, about that—"

But Dick hurriedly cut her off when they arrived at the locker rooms. "Anyway, I'll see you at lunch tomorrow! Lates!" And with a final friendly wave, he disappeared behind the doors.

_Well, never mind then…_ Artemis turned and walked through the girl's locker room. She unraveled her hair-tie with one hand and opened her locker with the other, reaching first for her phone. She opened Wally's message and read, "If I get pummeled, then who's gonna text you all day to keep you company, Miss Lonely Newbie?"

She could have laughed out loud. Was Wally West actually being nice to Artemis Crock? Did someone just divide by zero while sitting on a flying pig?

She quickly changed and gathered her hair into a fresh pony-tail, and headed outside. She observed the line of shiny cars lined on the driveway, and made her way to the bus-stop across the street.

"Hey, for the record," she responded defensively as she waited for the bus, "I've already made friends :)"

"Oh. I feel so used :'("

Yeah right he feels sad, she laughed to herself. The bus arrived and she climbed on board, seeking out a vacant seat next to a window. She tapped her phone on her knee rhythmically and observed as pristine green lawns bordered with white picket fences gradually gave way to dusty abandoned yards and barbed wire. She let her thoughts travel back to her oppressive mood at the beginning of the day, and contrasted it to how light her heart felt right now.

"But…Thanks," she finally texted back, "for being there for me on my first day."

**Keystone High School  
>September 12, 2:19 CDT<strong>

The first thing Wally did when he received Artemis's text was lock the message against being auto-deleted—most definitely _not_ for sentimental reasons, but as proof of her genuinely thanking him. It was…a souvenir of sorts, and possible blackmail material, should such an opportune moment arise.

But even so, he smiled as he typed a response.

"Psh I was only texting you cuz school's THAT boring. But you're welcome. +1 for me again? :)"

"Geez, how many hi-fives to your face do you want?"

**Gotham City  
>September 12, 3:34 EDT<strong>

"Hi Artemis," her mom greeted her when she stepped inside the apartment. "How was school today?"

"It was…" Artemis felt her phone vibrate and looked down to see a new text from Wally. She looked back at her mom and smiled. "It was actually pretty good."

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Dick is less flippant than Robin, don't you agree? **So, did anyone catch who his friends are modeled after? **I'll give you a hint—they also aired on Cartoon Network as a super-hero team :)

I **love** reading and responding to all of your reviews, by the way. They totally make my day—I know it sounds cliché, but I'm **not exaggerating**—so keep them coming! :)

P.S. The French teacher's words, translated: "Good morning/Hello! Welcome to AP French! We will start with a quiz." French and English are pretty related so I'm sure all you brilliant people deduced the translation already :)


	4. Awakening

**A/N**: Yes! Dick's friends from the previous chapter were modeled after the **Teen Titans**. That was my little humorous homage to them.

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice…or Discovery Channel.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_  
><strong>IV. Awakening<strong>  
><em>Maybe it's just my imagination  But I see you stare just a little too long / And it makes me start to wonder…_  
>- Jordin Sparks, "Next to You"<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Mount Justice<br>October 1, 3:15 EDT**

_Of course_ it would be Neapolitan ice-cream.

Wally put the tub on the counter and grudgingly grabbed a bowl and spoon. Ever since M'gann had discovered his habit of eating ice-cream straight out of the tub, she had taken a page from his parents, and had bought Neapolitan ice-cream.

There was probably nothing on the planet that Wally West would not consume, but the one thing he couldn't stomach (literally) was the taste of artificial strawberry flavoring. There was just something too fraudulent and cloying about the flavor. Therefore, if you ever need a certain speedster to halt his habit of consuming ice-cream straight from the container, you buy Neapolitan, where the strawberry flavor is situated so infuriatingly in the center, and forces him to physically scoop the two other superior flavors into an actual bowl.

Wally shoved his spoon into the vanilla ice-cream, and grunted out loud as he battled against the almost rock-solid frozen mass.

"Note to self", he growled, finally able to carve out a small chunk, "if I ever need an arm workout, become a full-time ice-cream scooper."

After a full three minutes of warring with the frozen ice-cream, muttering imprecations under his breath, and actually debating calling Supey for help, he had scooped out half of the vanilla and chocolate, and finally deemed his bowl worthy of Wally-West-consumption. He shoved the battered tub back into the freezer, grabbed his beautiful bowl of heaven, and plopped down on the couch and returned to the world of Discovery Channel.

Nowadays it wasn't rare for the Team to congregate at The Cave even without being called for a mission. Robin and Kaldur were currently sparring in the new training facility Black Canary had built, M'gann and Conner were busy working on a school project in her room (although Wally suspected they were also doing other…stuff), Artemis was in her own room using the computer and wireless internet for her English essay, and Wally—well he was here for the fully stocked fridge and glorious satellite TV.

He finished his last bite of ice-cream just as the television show ended and switched to commercial break. He set the empty bowl on the coffee table, and glanced at his phone. He realized he hadn't seen or heard from Artemis since she came over this afternoon after lunch, and with a smirk, he was willing to bet she had probably fallen asleep or something.

He picked up his phone and texted her, "Stop drooling while you sleep on the keyboard. You might dissolve it with your venom."

**Mount Justice  
>October 1, 3:31 EDT<strong>

Artemis leaned back on her chair with a sigh and stared exasperatingly at the ceiling. Kicking villain-butt? Piece of cake. Hitting moving targets with near 100% precision? No problem. Understanding convoluted scientific terms and mathematical equations? Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.

Writing an essay comparing courtly love from the Knight's tale and the Wife of Bath's tale in Chaucer's _The Canterbury Tales_? Ugh. Artemis would rather take on Clayface by herself than type this assignment.

She spun her chair around to stare blankly at the rest of her room. She actually loved every aspect of this spacious and comfortable space, except for the lack of windows. She did suppose it would be impractical and strange for a natural mountain to have sporadic shutters lining the sides, but the absence of sky was claustrophobic at times, especially when she was already irked by how this damn essay couldn't just write itself.

Her phone suddenly buzzed, and she spun back and dug it out from under a pile of notes. When she saw who had just texted her, she actually laughed. Was it really too much effort to walk down the hall, especially for someone with super-speed?

"Saving that venom for you, actually," she typed back. "And I've been working this entire time, thank you very much."

"Going nuts yet?"

"More than usual."

"That's not good for my sanity if I have to be in the same building as you. I propose a trip to the park :) Get some fresh air, and all. Also, I need to stretch my legs."

Artemis glanced back at her computer screen, where she currently had…two measly pages out of the infernal five complete. She _did_ suppose a change in scenery would be vital in preventing her from going completely bonkers, although if she was spending time alone with Wally, she wasn't too certain on that particular conclusion…but she admitted she would rather face Clayface than write this essay, and hanging out with Wally was probably the lesser of the two evils—quite literally also.

"Okay fine," she eventually replied, "but I need to grab my coat in the living room. Meet you there in a bit."

She stood and pocketed her phone and grabbed her collapsible crossbow, because you never know if you'll be attacked by evil squirrels during an afternoon stroll through a park, right?

And also, she needed _something_ to threaten Kid Mouth with if he got too obnoxious.

**Mount Justice  
>October 1, 2:38 EDT<strong>

Soon Wally heard the tell-tale deep clicks of Artemis's boots approach the kitchen. A wily grin crept onto his face and he zipped off the couch and stood with his back against the wall next to the entrance. His plan was to pull a Supey and jump out as she walked by in _5…4…3…2…_

"Nice try Wally, but I can see the reflection of your obnoxiously bright shirt in the oven window."

Wally scowled and stepped out from behind the corner. "Next time, I'm hiring a vampire."

Artemis laughed and walked past him to grab her black pea-coat from the back of the sofa. "First demons, now vampires… is it going to be zombies next?" She balanced her crossbow on the side-table and slipped her coat on.

"Nah." Wally walked back to the coffee table and turned off the television. He grabbed his spoon and empty bowl and made his way to the kitchen, where he dropped them in the sink and turned to Artemis with a grin. "Zombies go after brains, so it would be a waste to hire one to use against you."

Artemis paused in buttoning her coat long enough to raise an eyebrow at him, but then she shrugged. "Actually, I do feel pretty brain dead after working on that essay for—" she glanced at the oven clock and groaned, "—nearly _four_ straight hours."

"_Wow_, no witty comeback?" replied Wally, genuinely surprised yet slightly smug. "I definitely believe you."

He walked to the front of the hallway and waited for her as she slipped her neatly folded crossbow into her coat pocket.

"Nice coat," he said, half sarcastic, but also half sincere, because that coat _did_ look nice on her, but the hell he was _ever_ going to admit _that_.

"Um, thanks?" responded Artemis, catching his opposing mixture of tones.

"If a zombie did get you, black is a nice color to hide the blood stains," Wally continued, returning to his usual 100% mockery.

Artemis stuck her tongue at him. "If a zombie attacks, I'm tripping you." She walked past him, and Wally followed.

"You do realize I'm the _fastest_ boy alive," he said.

"Not after I trip you, no you're not!" she countered.

"And just _how_ are you going to trip me if I run faster than you."

"Rocks don't run and you still trip over them."

Wally glowered at her sassy comment. "Hey, even so, I saved our butts from those Bialyan tanks!" he argued. _Should have left her there_, he muttered silently to himself.

"That doesn't erase the fact that you still tripped over a rock," Artemis continued, glancing at him with silent mirth.

"So you're just going to what, continuously shoot pebbles at me with your bow?"

"That would be called a _sling-shot_, Kid Genius," she replied with a roll of her eyes.

Wally made a face at her. They reached the front entrance, and he activated the doors to open. A rush of cool air greeted them and they stepped outside under a cloudy autumn sky. They walked in silence for a while, until Artemis realized for the first time Wally's absence of outerwear.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked.

"Super fast-metabolism means I'm toasty year round!"

What a lie, Artemis thought, thinking back to their early-morning-splash-around.

Happy Harbor Park contained a playground, swimming pool, sports courts, and picnic tables on one end, and then about a mile of meandering trails through forested areas and grassy knolls. Wally and Artemis skipped the Saturday crowds, and turned down the fork that would lead through the quiet trees.

The sky above was an ashen blanket of gray, but what the sky lacked in vitality, the earth redeemed itself with a palette of bright hues. Almost every tree was ablaze with crimson, gold, and orange, and when a slight breeze rustled through, the leaves drifted down like brilliant rain to join the eddying ocean of their brethren sprawled on the light green grass. The everlasting emerald pine trees stood majestically as sentries to winter and Christmastime, finally able to highlight their calm jade hue amongst their fiery neighbors. It was hard to imagine that this explosion of color was merely the prelude to a winter slumber; a visual lullaby before nature closed her eyes.

Everything also had a crispness to it—from the clear air tinted with foreshadowing notes of frost, to the satisfying crunch of leaves echoing each step, and of biting into apples and pecans. In the cold, every sound was reminiscent of delicate, harmonious bells—an audio masterpiece of the snowflakes that would surely come in a few weeks.

"I've actually never realized how beautiful this season was," Artemis sad softly as she studied the brilliant foliage around them.

"Really?" Wally regarded her in amazement. "But haven't you lived on the East Coast all your life?"

"Yeah, but I've never actually taken the time to enjoy …" her voice trailed off as she paused for a brief moment before continuing more somberly, "I actually… used to dread fall and winter because it meant being cold all the time, and the only thing I ever focused on was how to stay warm."

Wally remained silent for a while, unsure of what to say. "What about…Thanksgiving…and Christmas?" he finally asked.

A cold breeze drifted by and Artemis stared up at the quivering leaves. "They would pass like any other day," she answered flatly.

"So no turkeys and stuffing, and pumpkin pie?" he continued incredulously. "And Christmas trees and stockings and presents?"

Artemis shrugged. "As I said, they were like any other day."

Wally looked away and gazed at the hidden trees deeper in the surrounding forest. He knew Artemis was tough as a result of the life she lived, but he never realized just how merciless her childhood must have been. Coming from a family that celebrated each holiday to its fullest and warmest extent, he couldn't fathom what it must have felt like to stare at your neighbor's dazzlingly lit Christmas tree, only to return to a cold and empty home.

What also amazed him was how Artemis never sought out any pity for her upbringing. When she admitted her lack of joyful holiday memories, she didn't appear dejected; she conversed about the topic like it was regarding, well, any other day.

"You're not upset?" Wally suddenly blurted out.

Artemis looked over, puzzled. "About?"

"About never having a proper Thanksgiving or Christmas?"

She shrugged again. "Not really. I didn't let it affect me too much. As a kid, it slightly disappointed me, because who didn't believe in Santa Claus as a kid?" A brief smile lingered on her lips. "But as I grew older, I realized if you can't bend the facts, you gotta change your attitude…Anyway, I was too preoccupied with archery or combat training during the school breaks to really notice what day it was, so, yeah."

They arrived at a small grassy clearing surrounded by bushes and trees, and Artemis stepped off the path and walked towards it, her boots snapping leaves and twigs in earthly staccatos. She let her fingers lightly brush against the dark trunks, and Wally watched her graceful movements with a perplexing and novel interest. There was just something so damn hypnotizing about the way her golden hair swayed back and forth against the dark backdrop of her coat, and the airy movements of her slender fingers against roughened bark.

Suddenly she turned her head around, and frowned at his transfixed state. "Wally?"

"Huh, what?" He snapped out of his reverie and realized Artemis was staring awkwardly at him, and hurriedly smiled and returned his facial features to their usual lighthearted expression. "Oh don't mind me; I was just telepathically communicating our location to some zombies nearby…"

Artemis raised an eyebrow. "So you share a mind connection with the brainless dead? _Not_ surprised."

Wally scoffed and stepped into the clearing with her. "No," he argued, "because that would mean I would be able to hear _your_ thoughts too."

Before Artemis could reply with her usual rejoinder, the two were suddenly startled by a sharp rustling in the bushes behind them. They whipped around and Artemis automatically reached for her crossbow, pulling it out and unfolding it in one fluid movement. Wally took a step forward and partially shielded Artemis with his torso and stretched arm, and normally she would have snapped for him to move out of the way, but all her senses were already preoccupied.

"Are these the zombies you were mentally chatting with?" she muttered from behind him, aiming her crossbow at the shrub. Or maybe they're evil squirrels, she thought sardonically.

But instead of a red-eyed rodent foaming at the mouth or a herd of undead, something else tumbled out of the bush, and landed on the ground with a soft crunch of leaves.

"Wow," laughed Wally, relaxing his stance. "We are _way too_ paranoid."

It was a chubby Pembroke Welsh Corgi puppy, probably no more than two or three months old, with a tan body and white paws, giving it an appearance of wearing tiny socks. One of its large ears flopped backwards as it stumbled up and stared at Wally and Artemis with curious brown eyes.

"Aww." Artemis collapsed her crossbow and pocketed it. She lowered herself to her knees, and stretched out her arms. "Come here little guy. You must be lost," she said gently.

The puppy hesitantly took a step forward, and then looked anxiously at Wally, who then swiftly knelt on the ground as well. The puppy wagged its tail in approval and bounded joyfully towards Artemis. She scratched its fuzzy neck and it rolled onto its back, exposing its pink belly for a rub that she was more than happy to give.

"Well, at least we know it's a boy," Wally pointed out, and he playfully wiggling his fingers in front of the puppy's snout.

"_And_ he belongs to someone," added Artemis, noticing the red collar. "But there's no tag."

The puppy's tongue lolled gleefully as the two continued to rub and tickle its belly. Suddenly it flipped to its side and emitted a high-pitched sneeze, ears flopping with the sudden movement. Startled by the noise, it tilted its head to the side, clearly wondering, "Did _I_ just do that?"

Artemis laughed and looked around at their surroundings. "I wonder if his owners are nearby."

Wally stood up and scanned the area. "I don't see anyone," he observed, "nor do I hear anyone yelling out puppy-names."

"Well, I'm sure this little guy has a home," reasoned Artemis, watching the puppy sniff at her boots. "He's too energetic and tubby to have been lost for too long." She scooped him up in her arms and stood up. "Come on little guy, let's find your family." The puppy nestled into her warm arms and opened its mouth into a wide and content smile directed at Wally.

"It's like he's mocking me," he laughed, reaching over to scratch the puppy's head.

Artemis lifted the dog close to her face and smiled playfully at Wally, "You mad?"

"As if," he scoffed, following her back to the main trail.

She looked down the path, and then started back towards the park entrance. "Let's walk around the park. If anyone's looking for him, they'll be sure to recognize him and come up. I don't just want to give him away to anyone pretending to be his owner."

"So thought out," said Wally, acting impressed. "Is this what keeps you up at night?"

She glared at him out of the corner of her eye. "No, but plotting all the ways to torture you is."

Wally comically gasped. "Is _that_ why you lured me into that secluded clearing? Thank you Corgi for showing up in the nick of time!" He reached over and gently tapped the puppy's nose, causing it to sneeze again with another spastic flop of its ears.

Artemis twisted her torso to shield the puppy from him. "_Corgi_ is obviously allergic to stupidity."

"Dang. I should hold him them, or he's going to be covered in hives by the times we reach the end of this trail!"

"You really want to hold him?" Artemis asked, her tone sincere.

Wally shrugged in response. "Nah, it's okay. He looks comfortable already."

They walked the entire circumference of the park, passing by families playing games by the picnic tables, children cheerfully running through the playground, and solitary joggers and bicyclists, but no one frantically approached them with outstretched arms and a name fit for a cute dog on their tongue. In the end they situated themselves on a small grassy hill overlooking the park entrance, reasoning that anyone searching for the dog would be able to see them clearly.

Artemis sat down on the grass and the puppy clambered out of her arms and gamboled into Wally's lap, enthusiastically attacking his fingers.

"Looks like he hates you just as much as I do," Artemis joked.

"Ha, very funny," retorted Wally with a grin. "Why does he keep gnawing on my fingers? I mean, not that it hurts, or anything," he added quickly, "but does he think my fingers are kibble or something?"

Artemis laughed. "He's teething," she noted. "Here, I have an idea…"

She reached behind her and tugged her ponytail loose, and Wally became suddenly fascinated by the seemingly slow-motion way her long golden strands cascaded around her shoulders in waves of soft light. With her other hand she fingered through her roots, giving her hair a sudden feathery semblance. A stray breeze carried over her familiar scent of lavender, and he was immediately reminded of the night their movie night a few weeks ago…

He didn't even realize he was staring at her until he felt the nibbling of little teeth on his fingers suddenly cease. He peered down, and saw that Artemis was dangling her hair-tie in front of the puppy. It excitedly batted at it like a kitten, and then tumbled out of Wally's lap as it tried to bite the circlet. It finally accomplished in chomping down on it, and proceeded to engage in a game of tug-of-war with Artemis while emitting baby-growls and yips. Artemis laughed and let go, and sent the unsuspecting puppy plopping onto its bottom. But being ever so plucky, it resumed its frisky attack on demolishing the hair-tie, rolling onto its back and accidentally threading a tender pink paw through it. The harder it tried to pull its paw back, the more it struggled with his teeth.

"Well, looks like he doesn't need _me_ for a game of tug-of-war," observed Artemis with amusement.

Revelations are uncommon for humans, much less for a fifteen-year-old boy, but as Wally leaned back on his elbows and regarded Artemis playing with the dog with the backdrop of gray skies and golden trees, he felt like an electrode was suddenly implanted into his brain and had just zapped his neurons into a lightning storm.

He couldn't specifically conclude what the exact revelation was, but he could confirm that his view on Artemis had suddenly _shifted_—maybe by just a little bit, but it still shifted.

And it shifted because she all of a sudden seemed…_softer_, and he saw all that jagged armor forged from the fires of self-preservation crumble away. She was more relaxed than he's ever seen her, and she wore a tender visage that he didn't know existed. Her eyes were a sparkling bright grey that seemed to glow blue with an ethereal quality, and her smile—he hated to admit it, but she was really pretty when she smiled, because it further ignited her eyes, like a spark suddenly becoming a flame.

And then he wondered to himself, just how many times has Artemis smiled like this in her life—genuinely smiled and laughed and became so carefree—in her mysterious life void of Thanksgiving and Christmas, and every other warm familial joy?

"I wonder if he's thirsty," wondered Artemis out loud, startling Wally from his gradual epiphany.

"I got it," he answered, promptly standing up. He was slightly relieved to be free from his thoughts—he wasn't sure if he was ready to delve deeper into his reflections.

He had a wide vantage point of most of the park from where he stood, and was able to pick out a refreshments vendor pushing his cart of snacks and drinks on the path below them. He darted down the hill and purchased a bottle of water.

He turned to head back, but instead paused and quietly regarded the scene before him. Artemis, with her loose hair swaying in the breeze, was picking blades of grass from the ground and sprinkling them on the puppy as it danced mirthfully in the confetti of green and gold. The euphonic notes of her laughter flitted down the hill and tugged at Wally's lips until he smiled. He looked at a nearby pile of leaves, and a whimsical idea emerged. Confirming Artemis's attention was captured by the dog, he tucked the water bottle under one arm, freeing his hands scoop a clump of orange and gold leaves, and quickly ran to the other side of the hill. He then furtively snuck behind Artemis and before she could even register that he was behind her, dumped the entire array of leaves on top of her head.

She cried out in surprise, and then started laughing as the puppy pounced into her lap and began barking and snapping at the falling leaves.

Wally plopped down in front of them and grinned at the foliage clinging to Artemis's coat and tucked haphazardly all over her hair.

"You look like a crazy Leaf-Monster," he grinned facetiously.

Instead of glaring back at him, she continued to smile. "Well, then beware my powerful side-kick! Sic him, Corgi!"

Artemis dangled her hair-tie in front of the puppy to capture its attention, and then threw the tie at Wally. The puppy followed and jumped into Wally's chest. He tumbled backwards onto the grass, and pretended to be hopelessly overpowered by the squirming ball of fur.

"Ack! No!" he cried out, feigning distress. "A cute puppy…is my…only weakness!" And then he rolled his head to his side and closed his eyes.

"Good job, Corgi side-kick!" Artemis said gleefully through her laughter. "We have finally defeated my life-long arch-nemesis! Now I hereby claim this grassy knoll as the capital of Artemis-land!"

But as soon as she finished her triumphant conquest speech, Wally suddenly sat up, causing the puppy to slide into his lap.

"SYKE!" he yelled, and quickly grabbed the barking Corgi. "And now I have your side-kick!"

Artemis gasped and dramatically brought her hand to her chest. "Oh no! I'll do anything; please don't hurt Corgi!"

Wally raised an eyebrow and stared at her slyly. "_Anything_, huh? Well then, I demand that Corgi be my poison-tester on this bottle of sacred water! I have my suspicions that it's actually a plot to destroy me!"

While he held the puppy—who was unaware of his acting position and looked more than delighted to be a poison-tester—in one hand, he grabbed the water bottle with the other and passed it to Artemis.

"Open it, Leaf-Monster!" he demanded. "And feed it to your precious side-kick!"

"If Corgi dies," she continued as she twisted off the bottle-top, "I swear on chlorophyll I shall avenge his death!"

Wally let out his best imitation of an evil laugh, and brought the dog to Artemis's cupped hands. It noisily lapped up the water and when its thirst was satiated, let out a tiny burp and cough.

"Oh Corgi, are you feeling alright?" Artemis asked.

Wally suddenly gasped and started leaning backwards. "No! The water…it…made him…more powerful!" He fell backwards onto the grass once again and released his grasp on the puppy, who merely remained seated on his chest, tilting his head from one side to the other with a quizzical expression.

Artemis laughed and began picking the leaves from her hair and coat. "That was so ridiculous," she remarked.

"Yeah," Wally agreed with a smile, gazing at the silver clouds above him. "But fun."

"FINNEGAN!"

A startled Wally and Artemis looked up to see a small girl in a puffy pink jacket running up the hill with out-stretched arms, followed by her mother. The puppy bounded off of Wally's chest, excitedly wagging his tail.

"Oh Finnegan! You found him!" The girl dropped to her knees and embraced the squirming puppy, who proceeded to lick every inch of her tear-stained face.

Artemis smiled at the girl. "Is this your puppy?"

"Yes oh yes! And you found him!" she repeated ecstatically.

The mother finally reached the top of the hill and clasped her hands together in silent prayer. Wally and Artemis quickly stood up, and the little girl's mother turned her attention to them.

"Oh dear Lord, thank you so much for finding our Finny," she said, overjoyed with relief. "Sasha here looked away for a second and he zipped away. Where on earth did you find him?"

"Actually," Wally answered genially, "_he_ found _us_. He tumbled out of a bush in a clearing by the forest trails."

"Finny, you silly doggie!" Sasha giggled and Finny tumbled onto his back, smiling with delight.

"My oh my, we could not thank you enough," spoke the mother, grasping both Artemis and Wally's hands. "We've been searching for him for hours!"

Artemis returned the warm smile. "You're welcome, ma'am. And if I had a dog as special as Finnegan, I would have gone to the very ends of the earth to search for him too." She gazed tenderly at the puppy, which looked back and wagged his tail.

"Well bless your hearts," beamed the mother. "We're so glad Finnegan found such a beautiful couple today."

Wally and Artemis glanced and each other and nervously laughed.

"Oh, we're not—"

"We're just—"

The woman slowly nodded but her smile never faltered. "Oh, begging my pardon, it was wrong for me to assume. But you two are just absolutely lovely."

And maybe he imagined it, but the woman's eyes twinkled in Wally's direction for the briefest of seconds.

The woman turned back to her daughter. "Come along dear, let's go home. Daddy will be worried."

Sasha scooped up the puppy in her arms and beamed one last time at Wally and Artemis. "Thank you thank you thank you so much!"

Artemis knelt down in front of the girl. "You're welcome Sasha. Take care of Finny! We'll miss him." She smiled and gave Finny one last scratch behind the ears before standing back up.

The mother patted Sasha's head fondly, and waved a warm farewell to Wally and Artemis. "God bless your hearts!" she called out one last time.

The two of them watched with silent smiles as the happy pair walked away, with Finny peeking back over Sasha's shoulder. Artemis finally sighed and turned to Wally.

"Think Batman will let us get a dog at the Cave?"

Wally looked at her, and remembered the sound of her laughter as she played with Finny just moments before.

"We should petition for one," he replied, grinning. He suddenly felt a drop of water on his hand and glanced towards darkening sky. "Guess we should head back…"

They walked down the hill, and joined the crowd of families also hastily rushing out of the rain. Soon, however, the drizzle was transformed into a downpour, and the congregation of people into a frenzy.

"We're going to be soaked!" yelled Artemis over the clamor of rain and screaming children.

"No shit Sherlock!" replied Wally, feeling the cold rain seeping through his shirt, "And I, uh, can't zip us out of here because a) there are too many people and b) I kind of forgot my goggles back at The Cave..."

"Well then," Artemis turned to him, "time to be like everyone else!"

"What—"

Before he could finish his question, Artemis grabbed his wrist and starting running through a world washed with silver sheets of rain, dodging through the crowd and splashing through puddles. Wally couldn't remember the last time he ran through the rain at normal speed, and the strange feeling of every icy raindrop hitting his body and blinding his senses was oddly refreshing. He wasn't sure how Artemis was able to see through the swirling rain, but he trusted her, and allowed her to continue the hold on his wrist as she pulled them towards home.

When they finally arrived at the entrance of Mount Justice, both were breathless and thoroughly drenched.

"I feel like…I just took a cold shower…on a treadmill," gasped Wally through his smile.

She grinned back and removed a strand of wet hair clinging to her face. "So apparently that fast-metabolism of yours doesn't keep you toasty _all_ the time."

"Hey," he countered as they stepped inside the warm Cave, "even toast can get soggy."

**Mount Justice  
>October 1, 4:56 EST<strong>

Robin put down his glass of water just as Artemis and Wally sloshed into the kitchen, leaving tiny puddles of rainwater in their wake.

"Geez," Robin smirked. "Do you two _always_ have to end up soaking wet when you hang out alone? Or do I _not_ want to know." He wiggled his eyebrows at them.

"It was _raining_ outside!" retorted Artemis, taking off her waterlogged coat.

"Mmhmm. You were makin' it rain?" He winked at her. "Gotcha."

And it was a good thing he was the Dark Knight's protégé, because if Robin hadn't slipped away behind the kitchen counter and disappeared out of the room, Artemis would have used him as live target practice. Tough-girl armor: activate once again.

She turned to Wally and let out an exasperated sigh. "He's _thirteen_. Is he _supposed_ to know what that phrase means?" She unfolded her crossbow and set it down on the counter to dry, and then set her dripping coat on the back of a kitchen stool.

Wally shrugged. "Dude, the kid knows how to hack motion sensors. Who knows _what else_ he's been hacking." He tugged at his shirt and shuddered. "Ugh. This is like sleeping in your own drool..."

Artemis looked up from wringing her hair into the kitchen sink. "What?"

"Nothing!" Wally replied quickly, and with one smooth movement, took off his shirt. "_Much_ better." He caught Artemis raising an eyebrow at him and grinned. "So these are the abs I was referring to the other day, by the way."

Artemis rolled her eyes and glared silently at the faucet, resuming squeezing out the water from her hair. A _soaking wet_ emerald-eyed Wally with _glistening muscles_ was _so_ _not_ her (flustered) cup of tea right now.

Wally, however, nonchalantly made his way to stand next to Artemis. She saw him (and his infernal abs, curse them) out of the corner of her eye and looked up to see him wearing the same chummy smile he had given her when she had woken in the Bialyan desert, but this time he had dripping red hair and no uniform on. She definitely preferred amnesia in a desert over this.

"I need to wring this out," he said casually, holding up his balled up and dripping shirt.

"There _are_ other sinks in this cave, you know," Artemis replied, her voice unusually loud.

"Yeah, but that would mean I'd have to drip water all the way there. There's only so much cleaning up Kaldur can stand." He paused and smirked at her. "Plus, it's not like I'm also taking off my _jeans_ also."

At that moment Robin was making his way back into the kitchen, but he paused in the hallway, and he mischievously decided to eavesdrop on Wally and Artemis's conversation.

"Hey Wally?"

"Yes Arty?"

"Have you ever been slapped in the face by wet, long, hair?"

"Uh, no…"

"Then I suggest you shut it."

There was a laugh from Wally, followed by intermittent sounds of water splashing into the sink.

"And Wally?"

"No, I have never been slapped by a wet wool coat either."

"Thanks…" Artemis's voice was quieter. "For dragging me out. I needed that…"

There was a slight pause before he replied, "You're welcome. So… plus one for me again?

"Are you _really_ keeping track of all your points?"

"Why not? I _do_ get to redeem them for something, right?"

"Hi-fives."

"I don't believe you."

"Low-fives?"

Robin silently inched forward until he could catch a glimpse of the two standing by the sink. Wally's expression was full of mirth and he was standing so close to Artemis that their arms were nearly touching.

"I'm sure I'll think of something."

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><p><strong>AN: Satellites on Parade** drew a picture of Artemis, Wally, and Finnegan playing on the hill! It's still a sketch, but it's cute! (And gave me a heart-attack when I saw it because I was like OMGOMGOMGOMG) But anyways, the link to it is on my profile :)

Thank you once again for all the lovely reviews!


	5. Ignite

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. _Supermassive Black Hole_ is by Muse.

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><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_**  
>V. Ignite<strong>  
><em>Find your own little spitfire—one who won't let you get away with nothin'.<br>_- Kent Nelson, _Young Justice_ "Denial"

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><p><strong>Mount Justice<br>October 10, 19:56 EDT**

Artemis yelled and threw her fist in the punching bag again, channeling her fury into her muscles, and firing it out through her knuckles. She twisted to the side as the bag swung back and threw her other fist into it—imagining, pretending, desperately believing—that it was her father's face.

Her father had returned that afternoon for the first time since leaving in August, and their apartment exploded with heated words and screaming. At first it was a caustic but quiet conversation between her father and her mother, but it quickly escalated into a wildfire when Artemis started arguing in her mother's defense.

And then he brought _it_ up: her "extra-curricular" activities.

He had laughed—laughed in her _face_, and told her it was all just a stupid dream. Oh yes, he had heard _all_ about her "crossing over the good-side", and pretending to be Green Arrow's niece, and playing all the "fun little games" with the "big boys and girls".

_And then he leered at her, "One day, I will make you watch as I kill every single of your new teammates, and the best part will be because _you betrayed them_." _

_Artemis glared back. Years of his biting remarks had hardened her heart. "You will _not_ touch them," she snarled, her gray eyes drilling into her father's, "and I will _never_ betray them." _

_Her father threw back his head and laughed again. "Baby girl," he replied with a grin, "when it comes time for you to choose between your family and that pathetic team, we all know what the outcome will be." _

_He stepped closer and brought a rough finger to her chin. "You will always be Daddy's Little Girl." _

Artemis let out another furious shout and spin-kicked the punching bag. However, her judgment was so clouded by her rage that her foot slipped on the landing and she buckled onto the floor. She remained on the mat and continued to glare at the punching bag swaying with uncanny precision for a few seconds to the beat of the song coming from a set of speakers on a nearby bench.

"So, now are you just punching the punching bag with your eyes, or something?"

Artemis twisted around, and saw Wally leaning against the doorframe with his usual smug expression. He had actually been observing her for a few minutes now, watching her beat the absolute crap out of the punching bag. Remembering the manner she took out Poison Ivy and Count Vertigo with a single kick each, he had to admit that second to Kaldur, she was probably the most skilled hand-to-hand combat fighter on their team.

She had the power, and she had the ferocity.

But watching her in the light—_really_ observing her—he noticed she had grace too. All her movements were fluid and well-calculated, and she looked almost like she was dancing—a blood-thirsty feral dance.

Because she was wearing nothing but a white sports-bra and black yoga-shorts, it was also a dance where all her muscles could be seen releasing their hypnotizing agile force.

And was also why he had done a double-take when he passed the gym on his way to the kitchen, and had stood there for the past…however long, just taking in the scene.

And now Artemis was glaring up at him from her sitting position.

Wally nodded his head in the direction of the speakers.

"Muse?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

Artemis continued to stare irately at him, and then stood and walked over to the bench.

"What, were you expecting Justin Bieber?" she snapped back, anger and adrenaline still flowing through her veins.

Wally remained unfazed by her cutting remark and sat down on the bench. "Nah, just impressed," he replied, looking up at her. He tried his hardest not to focus on her torso, which glistened with sweat and shimmered seductively every time she breathed.

"Tch," Artemis snorted, snatching her water bottle and bringing it to her lips. "So you _were_ expecting Justin Bieber."

She slowly let the cool water wash past her tongue and throat as she regarded Wally through lowered eyelids. He was wearing red basketball shorts and a sleeve-less black t-shirt that looked pretty beat up around the seams. She had never seen him dressed so…casual? Sporty? He leaned back on his arms and his triceps and shoulder muscles flexed, and Artemis quickly focused her attention elsewhere.

This was _so not_ conducive in removing the pressurized adrenaline from her afternoon quarrel.

She lowered the bottle down and cleared her throat. "So what do you want, Baywatch. The beach is the other way."

Wally started rolling his shoulders and neck. "Rob and I were going to work out together. But he's running late—probably had some last minute dynamic-duo thing with Bats."

Almost like they had a will of their own, her eyes drifted back towards him, and she continued to observe—in what she hoped was an extremely nonchalant and unnoticeable way—his shoulders and arms. Wally or no Wally, she had to admit she had a slight biased attraction towards muscular arms when it came to the opposite sex.

Unless his name was Red Arrow, because even a jerk with sultry arms was still a j—

"Artemis? Earth to Arty!"

Artemis snapped out of her thoughts and saw that Wally was staring at her with an amused expression.

"You didn't hear a word I just said, did you," he smirked. "Too busy staring at my beautiful arms?" He playfully raised them and flexed.

"Nah," she replied swiftly, "I was just wondering how long it would take a chainsaw to cut through them, that's all."

Speedy ripostes—she had that talent wrapped around her pinky.

Wally actually laughed. "You wouldn't dare."

Artemis simply raised an eyebrow in challenge.

Wally continued, his tone haughty once more, "Then you would have nothing to stare at, and proceed to zone out when I ask you a question."

Artemis had never so badly wanted to wipe that arrogant grin off his face with her knuckles, and briefly wondered how Flash would react to the news of his sidekick in a coma.

Wally saw her jaw clench and her eyes narrow, and inwardly laughed. Vexation at its perfection—he had _that_ talent wrapped around _his_ pinky.

"I asked if you need a sparring partner," he repeated, leaning back again and staring up at her, his eyes glinting.

Artemis regarded him in surprise and almost laughed. Had her greatest wish just come true?

"Why not?" she agreed, putting her hands to her hips. She stared down at Wally with a smirk. "I'm always up for a laugh or two."

Wally stood up and it was his turn to lower his gaze at the shorter Artemis—a fact he relished. "From me?" he responded. "Oh I know."

"Don't feel like you need to take it easy on me just because I'm a girl," said Artemis, walking to the center of the sparring mat with him.

Wally tapped a finger to his chin pensively. "Now that's quite unfair, isn't it?" he pondered out loud. He then took off his shirt in one fluid motion and tossed it to the side. "And _you_ shouldn't feel like you need to take it easy on me just because I'm shirtless," he said, grinning cockily.

Artemis let her eyes freely roam from his chest to his abs, if only to further goad him.

"I'm not taking off _my_ shirt if that's what you're hinting at," she said with a speckle of mirth.

"If I wanted you to do that," countered Wally playfully, "I would be doing more than just hint at it."

Artemis narrowed her eyes and raised her fists into position. She was more than ready to rip him to shreds. The two circled slowly to their right, measuring distances and eyeing each other in anticipation.

The current song ended, and a new one erupted through the speakers, energizing the entire room.

"'Supermassive Black Hole'," noted Wally with approval. "I like this song. Must be a sign."

Artemis tilted her head and started singing the first verse, her burning eyes never leaving his, "_Oh baby don't you know I suffer? Oh baby can you hear me moan?_" When she sang "moan" she tilted her head down slightly and sent Wally an electrifying stare, startling him. "_You caught me under false pretenses, how long before you let me go?_"

And then she launched herself at him, and threw a front-footed head-kick, which Wally partially blocked. However, her foot still glazed across his forehead, causing him to stumble slightly. With a leer, Artemis lunged back with a flurry of punches, alternating between body and head-shots. Wally continued to play defense and shielded her shots using his arms and fists, and waited patiently for the opportune moment to strike. He wasn't going to forget all of Black Canary's training just because he was fighting a girl.

Artemis snarled. Why was he making this so unchallenging? She might have well stuck with the punching bag—at least it _swung_ _back_.

She threw a wide right-hook, and Wally suddenly saw his opening. He quickly intercepted her hit in mid-swing with his arm, and grabbed onto her wrist. With one smooth motion he stepped under her arm and bent it behind her, applying an arm-lock from behind and rendering her defenseless and trapped under his control. Artemis winced as he swiftly grabbed her other arm and also pinned it behind her, and then gasped as he pulled her into him so her back slammed into his chest.

She felt his breath against her neck and bristled. The second verse of the song flowed through the speakers and he started singing along into her ear, his voice an octave lower.

"_I thought I was a fool for no one. Oh baby I'm a fool for you. You're the queen of the superficial, and how long before you tell the truth?_"

Despite feeling heated from her work-out, Artemis felt a short burst of chills run down her spine. _That geek could sing?!_

She felt a tendril of her hair quiver from Wally's fast exhales, and gritted her teeth. Singing geek or not, she wasn't going to let him win.

She quickly sidestepped to the left. With her right leg she swept Wally's legs, throwing him off balance for a split-second, and giving her just enough time to slip his hold and retaliate with a jab-jab-cross combination.

Wally brought up his arms to shield her hits again, unable to find the urge to go on the offensive, even if it was sparring practice.

He just couldn't bring himself to hit her.

So instead, he dropped his body down towards her knees and wrapped his arms around both her legs, bringing both of them down. As they hit the floor, Wally swiftly moved into a full mount, pinning Artemis's arms above her head and caging her thighs with his legs.

Artemis gasped and looked up at his eyes in shock, her mouth slightly open as her breaths left in short hot bursts from her pink lips. Wally gazed down and for once wasn't wearing a smirk. The song ended, and suddenly the room was filled with only the sound of their heavy breathing.

All his senses became highly acute, including his sense of touch. He could feel the soft skin of her wrists beneath his hands, and could even discern her fast pulse, coming through like a hummingbird's heartbeat. He squeezed his legs, and felt her own tighten in retaliation.

And then drawn by her eyes, he slowly lowered his face, inch by inch, breath by breath, until he could actually see specks of dark blue in her quivering irises. He suddenly felt her breathing quiet, but that may have been because all of his other senses were dampening, and only his vision remained crystal clear.

He tilted his head and gradually lowered his lips to her ears, finally whispering, "Looks like I'm the one laughing."

All of a sudden he felt her warmth breath float in quicker bursts across his cheek. "By the way," he continued, satisfied with her flustered reaction, lowering his voice even more, "you owe me a souvenir."

"Seems like _someone's_ feeling the aster."

Wally twisted his head up at the sudden voice and spotted Robin snickering at them in the doorway. Artemis used his momentary distraction to twist her hips to the side, causing Wally to lose his balance and allowing her to slide out, simultaneously yanking her wrists from his hands. She hooked her leg over his torso and shoved him to the ground by his shoulder, effectively turning the tables and pinning him down beneath her instead. She straddled him just inches above his groin, grabbed his arms and shoved them onto the mat next to his head, and finally smirked in triumph.

Wally's eyes widened, shocked by her swiftness and strength and their…current position. He imagined his face was reddening, but figured it wasn't obvious as both of them were still flushed from sparring.

However, there was no fooling Artemis. She sensed the discomfort in those bewildered green eyes, and felt how he was holding his breath, and definitely saw the emerging blush surrounding those freckles.

Two can play this game, she decided, and gradually lowered her face to his. The loose tendrils of hair first brushed against his forehead, and then pooled into soft curls. When she was an inch away, and finally felt Wally gasp for air, she licked her lips and cooed huskily, "We should wrestle some time—_just you and me_."

Wally exhaled sharply, as if in physical pain. This was just too much to handle—_too much_. He briefly had the strangest urge to lift his head and slam their lips together.

And for the taunting and tortuous cherry on top, Artemis slowly winked at him, her eyes igniting with mirth as the surrounding dark lashes floated down and up.

"You guys, I am _right here_ you know," Robin interrupted exasperatedly. "Or, should I leave you two _alone_," he added in a suggestive tone.

Artemis rolled her eyes and moved her hands to Wally's chest, and pushed off of him as she stood up. The momentary touch of her hands on his bare chest sent a jolt of heat through him, and he had to hold his breath again to stifle the animal-like noise trying to claw its way out.

"Minus one point for losing," Artemis said, putting her hands to her hips and gazing coolly down at him.

Wally hurriedly discovered his sanity again and smiled as he propped himself up using his elbows. "But plus two for showing you a good time? I can live with that."

Artemis continued to hold his gaze, her emotions unreadable, but seemingly bordering on amusement and annoyance—typical for all her interactions with Wally. She finally looked away and gave Robin a knowing grin, grabbed her water bottle from the bench, and walked wordlessly out the gym.

Robin turned back to Wally. "Did I interrupt something?"

"Ha," laughed Wally, standing up. "Yeah—me kicking Artemis's—Ow!"

He was cut off by an object flicking into his face and then falling on the ground. After a nanosecond of registering what the heck just happened, he reached down and picked up a green hair-tie.

At that moment Artemis walked back into the gym, with her long hair flowing loosely behind her in a river of gold.

"What was that for?!" cried Wally, dangling the hair-tie towards her.

Artemis snatched up her iPod from the speakers and gave him a piercing stare. "Your souvenir," she answered simply with an emerging grin, before stalking off again.

Wally smirked at her retreating figure and found Robin raising an eyebrow at him.

"_Souvenir?_" Robin repeated.

"Yeah," replied Wally, slipping the hair-tie onto his wrist and walking towards a set of weights. "She owes me one after using the arrow."

Robin's eyebrow remained raised, and Wally could tell by the "uh" forming on his mouth that he was about to say something snarky, but in the end all he muttered as he followed Wally to the weights was, "Well that was whelming…_not_."

**Central City  
>October 10, 23:08 CDT<strong>

Wally didn't even realize he was still wearing Artemis's hair-tie on his wrist until he emerged from the shower at home later that night. As he wiped away the condensation on his bathroom mirror, his eyes landed on the band's reflection, and he slowly brought his wrist up to eye level. Suddenly, he realized it was the same exact shade of green as his eyes—the match was uncanny.

Artemis's favorite color was the same color as Wally's eyes.

He looked away and dried himself (the speedster way of course), slipped on his boxers, and walked into his room. He sat down on his bed and slipped off the hair-tie, and with one last lingering gaze and silent smile, he place it on his nightstand.

And that night he had the most curious dream. He was back inside Dr. Fate's helmet, and was face to face once again with a smiling Kent Nelson. There was also a ring of playful fire surrounding them, casting a golden glow onto Kent's wizened yet venerable features.

Wally felt the fire's heat, but instead of causing alarm, it filled him with arousal.

He continued to stare at Kent. Neither said a word, and not a word needed to be said.

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><p><strong>AN:** Robin you little cock-blocker.

If you haven't already, be sure to check out my tumblr (**jncera**)! You'll find all sorts of crazy Young Justice and Spitfire stuff on there. Satellites is on there too under the username **brella**.


	6. Firefly

Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice. Or Disney's "The Lion King" :)

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><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_**  
>VI. Firefly<strong>  
><em>When you feel all alone  And the world has turned its back on you / Give me a moment please to tame your wild wild heart_  
>– Savage Garden, "Crash and Burn"<p>

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><p><strong>Mount Justice<br>October 14, 21:00 EDT**

Artemis brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. She sighed and rested her chin on top of her knee, gazing without seeing at the cold sand glowing silver-blue in the moonlight by her feet—a million grains of sand to match the million thoughts in her mind.

She had only been nine years old when her mother was sent to prison for the first time. She had remembered her father threatening her and her older sister not to cry because tears were a sign of weakness and regret, and there was to be no regret in this case, and absolutely no weakness on their part. He had tersely explained that their mother going to prison was better than both of them going to prison, for who would look after and train their two daughters?

"Everything happens for a reason," was the one and only bitter trickle of reassurance he had offered, before retreating forever behind his stoic demeanor.

Her mother had missed most of Artemis's childhood, and now she was going to be absent from even more of her life. She wasn't sure when she would see her mother again—in one year, in ten years? It didn't matter, she sullenly thought as she glared at the sand. Life wasn't supposed to be fair, was it? Not _her_ life, in any case.

She raised her eyes at the dark ocean, and watched its ghostly pale crests hurdling towards the beach, and then fading away like phantoms. The reflection of the moon created a silver blanket across the middle of the sea, disappearing hauntingly into blackness at the horizon. Its light, far from appearing beautiful, only emphasized Artemis's feeling of loneliness. The chilling wind rushed past her, bringing in the salty smell of the sea mingled with a hint of autumn leaves, and she wrapped her arms tighter around her legs.

Observing this tranquil scene, one wouldn't be able to fathom any of the turmoil happening elsewhere in the world. Here in this halcyon moment, there were no thoughts about tragedy, fire, or floods. No buildings crashed here, and no sirens screamed in desperation. No one bled, and no one died.

And innocent mothers weren't sent to prison while guilty fathers ran free.

Artemis dragged a half-buried shell from the sand and threw it into the black water with a loud yell of frustration. She glowered at the sea and then buried her head back into her knees, her shoulders shaking. She hadn't cried when she was nine years old, and she would not cry this time either.

She would not cry, she would _not_ cry…

**Mount Justice  
>October 14, 21:14 EDT<strong>

Wally whistled airily as he meandered down the hallway, following his nose to the land of delicious smells and delightful foods. When he passed Artemis's room, he paused and retraced his steps. Her door was open, and two black suitcases and a duffel bag stared blandly back.

"Artemis?" he whispered.

The suitcases continued to look at him mutely. He shrugged and let his nose continue their journey to the kitchen, where he found Robin reading the paper and M'gann removing a batch of fresh cookies from the oven.

"Hey, have either of you seen Artemis?" Wally casually asked. He leaned his elbow on the counter and peered eagerly at the cookies.

Robin shook his head without looking away from the paper, and M'gann did the same as she put the pan on the counter.

"Nope, but I can look for her," she offered, and after a brief pause of deep concentration, she continued, "I think she's by the beach."

"Alone?" inquired Wally while grabbing a cookie. The searing heat seemed to have no effect on his fingers, or taste buds. "Ooo," he murmured as his teeth sank into sugary warmth. "_Peanut-butter chocolate-chip…_"

"I believe so," M'gann began. "I mean, that she's alone," she quickly added with a chuckle. "I _definitely_ know that these are peanut-butter chocolate-chip cookies."

"Oh, and what's with all the luggage in her room?" Wally continued to inquire as he snatched another cookie.

"I think I know," Robin answered somberly as he handed Wally the newspaper. "Look."

"'Paula Crock arrested on newly found charges, awaiting re-trial'," Wally read out loud, and then a frown slowly etched on his face. "Who…?"

Robin paused for a brief moment, and silently debated whether he should divulge such sensitive information—and behind Artemis's back, no less.

But apparently either Wally was a clandestine detective in his spare time, or he was already privy to such information from Artemis herself, because as he gazed into the sober black-and-white portrait of Paula, a gradual expression of recognition dawned upon his features.

"That's Artemis's mother, isn't it," he murmured. He slowly lowered the paper down, not desiring to read more.

M'gann made a soft sound of surprise as she covered her mouth with her hand. Robin gravely nodded and folded the paper so the story and accompanying picture were covered.

Without another word, Wally started making his exit out of the kitchen, but before he had gotten three steps he spun around on his heel and walked back. He grabbed a few more cookies and wrapped a napkin around them.

"Taking some for the road!" he said with a final smile at M'gann and nod at Robin.

After Wally left, Robin turned to M'gann and his grin returned. "Five bucks that he's actually bringing them for Artemis."

"Sure," replied M'gann lightly, "if you enjoy one-sided bets, that is."

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><p>Wally noiselessly made his way across the beach, and spotted Artemis sitting by herself, hugging her knees tight against her chest and her head and shoulders crumpled towards them. Her long hair was loose, and it draped over her folded figure like a silk cape, glowing in a seductively pale yet also mournful way under the full moon.<p>

The image shocked him almost to a standstill, and he briefly questioned if he had been mistaken, and whether this fragile girl was really the fierce and fiery Artemis.

But given what Robin had just shown and told him, his astonishment faded away into sympathy.

Artemis suddenly felt something warm and downy drape over her shoulder, and looked up with a start to see Wally lying down on a blanket next to her. She quickly glanced away to discreetly wipe away her tears and in the process, fingered the mysterious object around her. It was another blanket. She looked back at Wally curiously, and when he didn't say anything, she finally spoke.

"What are you doing?" she asked, and then silently berated herself for how her voice cracked mid-sentence.

Wally, however, either didn't notice or wasn't bothered by her raspy voice. He pointed to the sky and smiled brightly at her.

"Stargazing," he replied, and then looked back up. "See up there, that faintish star, that's actually Jupiter."

Artemis's eyes followed his finger upwards, and with an inward gasp finally took in the scene above her. In her fury and angst, she had only concentrated at staring at the ground, never once tilting her chin up. Her mouth opened slightly as she let her eyes roam in awe at the diamonds sprinkled across a dark blue velvet canvas—it was like someone tossed a handful of glitter into the air, and they had remained trapped in infinite space forever. Never in her life had she seen _so many stars_. She wrapped the blanket fully around her and leaned back onto the sand, not caring if they invaded her hair.

Wally pulled out something from his pocket and passed it to her. Artemis wiggled a hand free and gingerly accepted it. She brought it closer to her face and saw—and smelled—that it was a fresh cookie, and still warm—presumably (and hopefully) from the oven, and not Wally's pants.

"Peanut-butter chocolate-chip fresh from the oven," he said, almost reading her mind. "M'gann just made them." He took another one from his pocket for himself.

Artemis raised her eyebrows in surprised approval, and took a bite and let out a little moan of delight. "_Ohhh_, these are _good_."

Wally felt his heart momentarily do what felt like a maladroit stumble down the stairs at the sound of her purring. He practically inhaled the remainder of his cookie before shooting his finger to the sky again.

"And you can also see Uranus!" he quickly said. "And you can barely see Neptune over there!"

Artemis ignored his sudden change in voice. She wasn't in the mood for her usual spark and snark. She finished her cookie and pulled her arm back into her warm blanket-cocoon.

"Can we see Pluto?" she wondered out loud as her eyes returned upwards. Her voice had returned to its thin and melancholy tone.

"Actually no," Wally answered. "You can only see Pluto with a telescope since it's about eight-hundred and seventy-million miles away from Neptune, and also twenty-one point-five times smaller."

He shifted his head slightly to observe Artemis's reaction, half expecting her to tease him about his obviously extensive and nerdy knowledge of astronomy. Instead, she just nodded.

He pointed skywards again and continued. "And then right below Jupiter is the constellation of Cetus, a sea monster from Greek mythology, although some people just call it a whale today."

Artemis frowned. She definitely could not see anything resembling a sea creature in any shape or form in that tangle of shimmering dots.

"Where?"

"There," Wally leaned in closer, and traced the constellation with his finger in what he hoped was her eye-level. "Those five stars that create a sort-of pentagon-shape is the tail—or head, depending on which version of Cetus you want to imagine—and those two stars lead down to the body, which consists of six stars."

Artemis tilted her head and could almost see Cetus the—

"It looks like a giant shovel," she concluded, and then cocked her head the opposite way, "or maybe a duck with a really long neck and no bill."

Wally actually laughed. "Well, if you think a bill-less long-neck duck is your version of a sea-monster…"

She turned to face him. "Do you know how freaky that would look?"

"Um…" He looked into her dark eyes. "Wouldn't that just be a swan…?"

"Without a bill? Tell me that wouldn't make you at least raise your eyebrow."

"I'm raising my eyebrow at _you_ right now."

Artemis scoffed and retreated deeper into her blanket. She wasn't particularly in the mood to argue, and Wally sensed it. Even though he knew her placid state of mind was due to something external, he still couldn't resist relishing how he had currently owned the last word.

"Anyway," he continued, looking back at the stars and playing connect-the-dots again with his finger, "there's Orion, the hunter, by the horizon. You can see those three bright stars—that's Orion's Belt. And you can see one of his arms lifting a sword, while the other one is holding a shield."

He then pointed towards four stars by the moon and Jupiter."And there's Aries—my zodiac!"

Artemis let out a curt laugh. "Impulsive and impatient—makes sense."

"We're also quick-witted and courageous!"Wally added smugly.

"_Quick?_ Yes. _Witted?_ Ehh…" Artemis freed a hand from beneath the blanket and see-sawed it in the air.

Wally propped himself on one elbow and poked Artemis in her side underneath her rib-cage. She jerked away with a sporadic loud giggle, and then punched his arm away.

"What was that for?!" she said with irritation, but not without the slightest hint of a grin.

"Ah, now I know that you're ticklish." His demeanor was triumphant. "That should make our future wrestling match quite easy."

Artemis raised an eyebrow at him and sulked back into her swaddling. Wally grinned. He was kind of enjoying her lack of sharp ripostes.

"Can we see Scorpio?" she wondered, her eyes scanning the winking stars.

"You mean Scorpius," he corrected her. "And no; in October it's only visible between eleven in the morning and three in the afternoon, so you wouldn't be able to see it." He turned to her. "So, your birthday's coming up then."

She gave a small shrug of acknowledgment but remained silent. She didn't want to bring up birthdays, or any other occasion that—in the default _normal_ world—were filled with pleasant memories, instead of empty regret.

Conscious of Artemis not being her usual chatter-box, Wally returned to mapping out the constellations. He began to unconsciously shift loser to Artemis, edging nearer every time she couldn't see a particular star. Soon he was almost just a breath away from her face, and Artemis's Wally-proximity-alarm suddenly buzzed.

She peered at him from the corner of her eye as not to face him directly and asked, "Why are you showing me all this?"

He lowered his arm and—to her relief—edged back to his original position.

"Well, it was between this and dragging you into the freezing ocean." He turned to her and smiled. "But the latter is something I would _not_ do since I'm a _nice_ and _sensible_ person."

"Hey!" she retaliated, momentarily forgetting the shadowy thoughts about her mother. "The water was not _that_ cold back in August!"

"But it was still _cold!_" he argued.

"Some lifeguard you'd be, Bay-Watch." She then deepened her voice in an attempt to mimic his. "Oh em gee, the water's too cold for me! Just keep treading water; you'll be fine. Oh, that's not a shark; it's just Aqualad, rocking out his Halloween costume."

Wally snorted. "I do _not_ sound like that!"

Artemis ignored him. She really did hope she couldn't sound like that annoying voice of his anyway. "I thought your super-fast metabolism allowed you to be toasty all year round?"

"I told you," he answered: "even toast gets soggy."

She stared at him with a deadpan expression.

"That makes no sense," she argued. "So you'll be fine if you were naked on Mount Everest, but you turn into a cry-baby when a drop of Rhode Island sea water washes past your toes?"

Wally wiggled his eyebrows. "Did you, or did you not, just picture me naked?"

Artemis narrowed her eyes. "Definitely _did not_ because M'gann's cookies are still in my stomach and not hurled all over the beach."

Wally snorted. "You were always a lousy liar, Arty."

She ignored him and returned to gaze at the starry sky. "Somebody once told me," she finally said, ever so nonchalantly, "that the great kings of the past are up there, watching over us."

Wally peeked over in amusement, but her expression remained stoic. He turned back to the sky and played along.

"You mean a bunch of royal dead guys are watching us?"

Artemis grinned at the moon.

"Timon?"

Artemis turned to Wally and continued to smile. "Yeah?" she replied.

Wally's attention remained on the sky, and he continued, "Ever wonder what those sparkly dots are up there?"

"Pumba, I don't wonder; I _know_."

"Oh. What are they?"

"They're fireflies," Artemis gestured to the sky. "Fireflies that uh… got stuck up in that big…bluish-black…thing."

Wally feigned a tone of surprise and awe. "Oh. _Gee_. I always thought that they were balls of gas burning billions of miles away."

Artemis tried to stifle the laugh tickling behind her lips. "Pumba," she said as she turned to glance at him, "with you, _everything's_ gas."

Wally returned her mirthful gaze in silence for a few seconds before they both erupted with laughter.

"So," said Wally after silence fell upon them again, "why aren't you staying with your uncle, Green Arrow?" He hadn't forgotten the image of her suitcases in her room.

Artemis, caught off guard, stumbled through her answer. "He um, I uh, don't want to burden him, and um…"

"You really suck at lying, Arty."

"What?"

Wally turned to her. "I said you really suck at lying. You couldn't lie your way out of soggy toilet paper."

She bristled and turned away, suddenly feeling her face heat up. "I wasn't—I mean, I'm not—"

He propped himself up on his elbow and leaned towards her. "Artemis."

She inched her face back around until her eyes met his.

"You don't need to lie to me," he spoke softly.

She remained silent, mesmerized by the dark green of his eyes and the sudden sincerity they were gazing at her with. This wasn't the Wally West she knew; this _couldn't_ possibly be the Wally West she knew and bickered with over every possible topic with every possible breath of air. The Wally etched into her mind would not have possessed the careful consideration to bring her a blanket and cookies, and certainly would not have taken the time to patiently point out every visible constellation in the October sky.

And he definitely would not have been staring at her like that, practically pleading for her to accept his newfound trustworthiness.

"Okay," Artemis finally sighed. "But you _can't_ tell any of the others."

"Pinky swear," he said, holding out his finger. Artemis hesitated, her eyes sliding between his gaze and his hands, but she eventually slid her own hand from beneath the blanket and interlocked fingers with him for a brief second.

"Green Arrow," she began as she retreated back into the warmth of her blanket, "is actually not my uncle, and I live in Gotham with my mother. GA and Batman asked me to join the team after realizing I had um," she glanced nervously at Wally, "saved you from Amazo with my arrow, and—"

"Wait," interrupted Wally, "so it _was_ your arrow?"

Artemis sighed exasperatedly. "Who else's could it have been? _Superman's?_"

Wally pursed his lips and shrugged. "I thought it was Roy's, actually."

Artemis rolled her eyes in his direction. "Because _Red_ Arrow totally has _green_ arrows. Yes, that makes _perfect_ sense. You should just change your name to Kid Genius!"

"Hey!" he countered. "It was _my knowledge_ on how to make an impromptu EMP emitter that saved our butts from the Reds!"

Artemis's mouth dropped open and she turned to face him completely. "_I object!_ It was _my arrow_ that saved our butts from the Reds!"

They glared testily at each other before Wally stuck out his tongue and waved for her to continue her story.

"Anyway," she proceeded, "before I was so _rudely_ interrupted—"

Wally glowered at her, but remained mute.

"—I was saying how I also destroyed a herd of those…robotic monkeys or whatever the hell they were-"

"_You_ _did_?" exclaimed Wally. "By yourself?"

Artemis almost forgot about being wrapped in a blanket and made a move to throw up her hands in irritation.

"Is that _so hard_ to believe?!" she cried out.

"Possibly," he teased and grinned at her shaking exasperation.

She ignored him, and the urge to slap that haughty smirk off his face.

"Shortly after that incident," she continued steadily, "I was approached by Batman and GA with an invitation to join the team. GA said I could be introduced as his niece and protégé. And well, here I am."

"But why would they lie?" he questioned.

Artemis remained silent. _Maybe because if anyone knew the truth, I would have been cast out and shunned without a second thought._

"Apparently you can't get into this club without being referred by a League member," she said instead, lightening her tone to push away her other thoughts.

"Yeah, we _are_ pretty exclusive," Wally replied with a complacent grin. "We only accept the _best_ of the best."

Artemis mentally exhaled in relief. Crisis averted. Topic changed. Her past was still impervious behind locked lips and grey eyes that glance away.

The two fell into a comfortable silence and she again contemplated the dark blue and sparkling sky above her. Gazing at the vastness of the infinite space, she suddenly felt the insignificance of herself, and all life around her. What were the deeds of one person on Earth compared to the timeless stars and endless space? The stars would still be there, no matter if the world was filled with purity or sin, love or despair, culpable fathers or blameless mothers…

"I saw the newspaper," Wally spoke cautiously, and Artemis's floating thoughts shattered back to the ground.

She slowly inhaled. She was expecting this. She hadn't prepared any answers, but she knew the questions would be inevitable.

Locked lips can't stay shut forever, and grey eyes have to cry sometime.

_Eventually_—but not now.

"You could never see any stars in Gotham," whispered Artemis in response, half tackling Wally's statement and half avoiding it. "When I was nine, and my mom was sent to prison for the first time, I used to gaze up at the twinkling airplanes instead, and thought that if I wished hard enough for her to come home, my message would somehow be projected onto the TV screens on the airplane. Then all the passengers would wish along with me, and make it come true." She stopped and softly laughed to herself. "It was pretty silly, now that I think about it…" She turned to Wally and found his green eyes staring intently back at her.

"No," he replied quietly, "I don't think that was silly. It's never silly to want a wish to come true."

Artemis lowered her gaze and absentmindedly bit her lip. She was suddenly finding it more difficult to look into those emerald orbs, darkened by the night but glowing with something deep within at the same time.

"Did you miss your mom a lot?" Wally asked.

Artemis looked back up. She had never heard him use that tone of voice. It reminded her of fragile and feathery things—of glass angels building a castle from snow. It took her a few seconds of shocked meditation before she answered.

"I guess… I missed the life we could have had. My parents were hardly ever home to begin with, so mostly my sister took care of me—a burden that got heavier when my mom left for prison the first time. I think my sister resented having such a responsibility. She left home soon after. So then I basically learned how to take care of myself…"

She paused, and suddenly had the urge to see the ocean. She wiggled out of the blanket and raised herself on her elbows and sat up. She heard and felt Wally do the same next to her.

"But yeah, I missed her," she continued, arranging the blanket so it covered her shoulders again. "Mothers are supposed to symbolize home, you know? They're supposed to be a symbol of comfort and warmth and love, and I felt…" She sighed and brought her knees to her chest again. "I felt cheated of all that."

Artemis squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath. She tightened her jaw and wished with all the willpower in her body not to let the burning sensation dissolve into tears.

"Artemis?" Wally whispered. "You okay?"

She suddenly stood up and turned away. The blanket fell to the ground with a mingling of cotton and sand, and she stooped down quickly to snatch it up before flinging it around her shoulders once more. Maybe if she ran away now, he wouldn't see her cry…

Without warning she felt him grab her hand, and then she found herself bumping ungracefully into his chest. She stiffened in shock as his arms quickly enclosed her, and his blanket folded around them both like giant wings. Slowly she relaxed, and edged her own arms and blanket around his torso, burrowing her face into his shoulder. There was something so comforting and protective about being in his arms that, with a shuddering sigh, the rainclouds in her eyes finally released their hot tears.

Wally felt her shoulders shake and could hear her ragged breathing, and all his jokes, teasing, and other biting comments completely vaporized. _Crybaby_—dissipated. _So the Ice Queen has finally melted_—abandoned. _This is totally blackmail-worthy material_—vanished.

As each layer of surface thought evaporated into the stars, it revealed finally the last anchored phrase in his mind—_I'm sorry_.

But instead of whispering it and letting it drift away with the tide, he tightened his hold on her, and brought his cheek to lie on top of her head. And in those few simple motions carried out in sequence from the firing of neurons to the workings of actin and myosin filaments, he was able to tell her that he understood, and—even if he was reluctant to show it in public—he was there for her. In these past two months, he had started to finally see past the caustic archer exterior; he was beginning to understand who Artemis _really_ was.

And for once in his life, time became irrelevant to the supersonic speedster. The hands in his internal clock shifted and paused, and he began to notice things that would generally float away due to his need for speed. He saw—and could almost feel—the silver moonlight pouring around them, spilling into the dimly blue sand. He could hear each ripple of water as it cascaded onto the beach, and could feel the soothing heat radiating between his body and Artemis's. With his blanket enclosing them both, he amusingly compared them to two birds—two birds of a snarky feather, flocking strangely silent together.

Time was standing still, and Wally actually—and shockingly—felt content to stay like this forever. But forever was not a concept of mortals—even those underneath an immortal sky.

"So," Artemis finally whispered into his neck, her voice quivering but strong, "does the blanket make you feel like Batman?"

Wally exhaled a small laugh, and she felt his breath flicker through her hair.

"You know what you moving into Mount Justice means now, right?" he asked instead of giving her a direct answer.

"Hmm, what?"

"It'll be easier for me to send demons to haunt you every night."

Artemis smirked. This boy was filled with unlimited and smug bull-crap; he was like the port-a-potty of bull-crap.

"Hey Wally?"

"Yeah?"

"We had salmon filets today for lunch at school."

Wally's smile disappeared and he tightened his lips.

"Fine," he grumbled. "I guess we're even."

Artemis sighed and lifted her head to look at him, and Wally suddenly had the strangest urge to tuck a drifting strand of her golden hair behind her ear. The thought completely unnerved him and in response he mentally slapped himself and awkwardly dropped his arms around her. Artemis's eyes flashed in surprise, but she did the same and both simultaneously took a step away.

"I, um, I'm sorry for—" she gestured at the tear-stain on his shirt and looked away self-consciously.

"And that's how toast gets soggy," he added with a grin and a shrug. Then, on a sudden playful whim, he began running in circles around Artemis at normal speed. He unfurled his blanket behind his shoulder like a cape and cried out, "Na na na na na na na na, Batman!"

Artemis was absolutely determined to keep an expressionless demeanor. He was being more outlandish than hilarious, she argued, but her tenacity soon melted away into laughter.

"So," said Wally as he walked beside her back to the Cave, "one more point to the Wall-Man for cheering you up?"

She looked at him and he saw the brief reflection of the sky's fireflies in her eyes. "You know I'm not keeping track of those."

"Oh," Wally replied with a grin, "but _I_ am."

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><p><strong>UPDATE: <strong>Annica, or known on FFnet as annicaspitsfire, just turned up the awesome-knob and created a beautiful watercolor painting of Wally and Artemis stargazing. You can find the link on my profile!

**(Another long) A/N:** SO WHO CAUGHT _THE LION KING_ REFERENCES? :D

(Also, anyone else keeping track of Wally's points?)

By the way, Artemis's back-story (regarding how she saved The Team from some of Ivo's robotic monkeys and how Batman and GA approached her shortly afterwards) is canon, and is explained in detail in the companion comics (Issue #8 and #9).

So, I've been getting a lot of feedback from readers wanting things to "move a bit faster", but I did say in Chapter 1 that this wasn't going to be a normal fic with a plot—it's a series of moments that builds upon Wally and Artemis's relationship, and I did emphasize that love doesn't happen overnight; it's a gradual process. Therefore, I apologize, but—to quote Captain Barbossa from Pirates of the Caribbean—"I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request."

However, if you really are antsy and want to see some beautiful Spitfire lovin', I suggest you check out **Satellites on Parade**, **Black Licorice Addict**, and **Cloaks and Daggers**. They're **amazing** writers with the **best** Spitfire stories.

By the way, I'm currently working on a few collaboration-fics with _Satellites_ and _BLA_. Our joint account is **YJ Spitfire Collabs**, so keep an eye out!

_Satellites_ is also my 2nd beta now, so please go give her lots of lovin-LOTS AND LOTS OF LOVIN.

Anyway, as always, thanks for reading! And thanks for reviewing!


	7. Fire and Ice

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice.

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><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_**  
>VII. Fire and Ice<strong>

_Some say the world will end in fire,  
>Some say in ice.<br>From what I've tasted of desire  
>I hold with those who favor fire.<br>But if it had to perish twice,  
>I think I know enough of hate<br>To say that for destruction ice  
>Is also great<br>And would suffice._

- Robert Frost "Fire and Ice"

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><p><strong>Happy Harbor<br>November 12, 18:16 EST**

It was _not_ a date.

No matter how the situation superficially appeared, Artemis going to dinner with Wally—alone—_was not a date_.

It was merely a coincidence that they were both hungry at the same time and at the same place.

Artemis had run out of groceries at the Cave, Wally had depleted all sources of teenage-boy-fodder at his house, and both were without parental units—real or Justice League designated—that could provide them with said food. (She had no idea where Black Canary was, but she was last seen cuddling on the couch with Green Arrow, and Artemis really did not want to further investigate.)

Wally's parents were randomly out of town, leaving the perpetually ravenous teenage boy to fend for himself—which wasn't entirely accurate, as they did leave him a debit card with enough money to buy out a grocery store if needed. However, Wally wasn't exactly a professional grocery shopper (he _was_ a professional grocery-list-writer, though), and cooking was definitely out of his skill range.

Therefore, when the two met up in the Cave's kitchen around dinner-time, it was briefly decided upon that they would take a trek to a local restaurant—which in itself was quite impressive and all-around strange, as anything involving Wally and Artemis hardly ever contained the words "brief" and "decision."

Artemis was bewildered that she was even making a mountain out of this ridiculous mole-hill. After all, it definitely was not the first time she and Wally were alone together, so why should she even give half a rat's ass about their current situation? In fact, it was akin to being alone with any of her other teammates and friends. Well, except Robin never took the time to point out constellations before, and Kaldur never swam with her in the ocean, and she's actually never sparred with Conner, and Meg—Artemis tossed away that loaded train of thought with a vigorous shake of her head. _UGH!_ Overanalyzing situations would definitely be the death of her sanity one day.

"Well you seem more delusional than usual," spoke up Wally. "Whoa, that rhymed…"

They were making their way to town on foot, enjoying this ability before the winter blizzards swooped in. Wally was happily swinging his arms from side-to-side like a cracked-up chimpanzee to accidentally—but most likely purposely—hit Artemis's own arms now and then, which was basically a waste of energy as she could hardly feel his measly taps through her thick coat.

"I am perfectly lusional, _Shakespeare_," she responded, focusing her attention on how the setting sun turned her silver puffs of air into fading images of pink cotton-candy.

"Ri-i-ght," Wally replied, dragging out the word and smothering it with sarcasm. "As _lusional_ as a fruit-loop."

Artemis raised her eyebrow and finally turned to him, and had to quickly look away—not because of how nonchalantly cute and ingenuous he looked (just kidding that was a lie)—but because the orange sunset was illuminating his bright-red hooded jacket and hair and basically transforming him into a giant stop-sign, or fire-hydrant, or whatever else in the world that was obnoxiously and unnaturally bright. Wally West was suddenly Wally-Caution-Sign—_Warning: Prolonged Staring May Cause Excessive Bleeding of the Eyes_.

"_I'm_ not the one flopping my arms like a Raggedy-Ann doll having a seizure," she countered.

Wally swung his arm around and let it hit Artemis in the lower back with a satisfactory thud. "I'm a windmill!"

She couldn't decide whether to be aggravated or amused at his not-so-random lapse into stupidity, but her body reacted with releasing a few sporadic snuffles of laughter. "Okay, Don Quixote, you are _definitely_ the one who's _de_lusional, emphasis on the 'de'."

In response, Wally raised his arm and brought it on a collision course with Artemis's face. Out of instinct, she slapped it away, and with such force that it almost took karma for a trip down revenge-street and came within a centimeter of crashing into Wally's own smug visage. He stumbled in surprise and scowled.

She shot back a satisfied look, and Wally didn't need Megan's telepathic link to know exactly what sassy phrase was strutting through her head.

Before he could give her neurological impulses a chance to become actions carried out by the ATP in her muscles cells, he raised his arms in front of him and inhaled dramatically. "Mmmm! I smell lobster!"

Artemis tried to refrain from rolling her eyes. She was actually worried that all the extreme eye-rolling done when she was around him might one day cause her eyeballs to become permanently stuck in their position of praying for heavenly deliverance.

"We _are_ by a harbor, Kid _Duh_."

Wally was starting to wonder if she would _ever_ recognize that he was, in fact, _not_ a complete idiot. "I smell _cooked_ lobster," he elaborated with a wave of his hand. "Wood-grilled lobster and steamed lobster, to be exact."

Artemis sniffed the air and admitted he was accurate—for once. She could definitely distinguish the wild and salty scent of the sea from the crispy aromas wafting from a nearby kitchen grill.

"My nose and stomach have both agreed that we try out _that_ restaurant," came Wally's excited voice.

Artemis followed his finger to a brick-building that appeared to have the theme of a historic brick firehouse crossed with a fishing dock.

"'Gumbo's Lobster Wharf'," she read slowly. "It sounds—"

"Delicious!" Wally finished with gusto.

She shrugged, and that was all the nonverbal agreement he needed before he bounded to the front doors. He swung one open with bravado, and to Artemis's genuine surprise, stepped aside.

She paused and put a hand onto her hip, scrutinizing his face for evidence that perhaps the Wally she knew was somehow possessed. "I'm not sure whether to be pleased, or absolutely freaked out," she finally stated.

Wally made a taunting face, similar to those common on kindergarten playgrounds. "Well, you _did_ call me Don Quixote," he pointed out. "_But more practically_, this is so I don't have to worry about you attacking me from behind."

As Artemis walked through the door, she casually flipped the end of her ponytail, letting a few strands slap Wally in the face.

"You see?!" he cried as he followed her. "That is _exactly_ what I mean!"

"I don't need to be behind you to attack you, you fully know that," she replied without thinking. When she realized the possible innuendo her words could have carried, she hurried to the hostess. She did not want to see—or hear—the snicker that was surely dribbling out of Wally's mouth.

"Two please."

The hostess smiled and gave them both a cursory glance, although Artemis caught how her eyes paused on Wally about a few seconds longer. Concluding that he had probably sprouted a tentacle from his head, she turned to fleetingly glance at him, and although he was probably on the verge of drowning in his own puddle of drool from food-sensory-overload, he was disappointingly not morphing into the Kraken.

The hostess led them through the restaurant, which was decorated with the atmosphere of a quintessential seafood eatery on the harbor. Fishing nets with faux-catches lined the wooden walls, the ocean-blue carpet was punctuated with wooden floors that appeared to have seen their share of the seven seas, and all around the ambiance was one of warm camaraderie and relaxation—ideal after a strenuous day of fishing in the cold waters.

Artemis could hear Wally's heavy inhales behind her even through the jolly din of the restaurant patrons. She then realized this was actually going to be her first experience of witnessing Wally eat an actual meal—in public, no less.

Thankfully, they arrived at their table at the same moment as her horrifying epiphany, and Artemis was able to stymie her visible shudder and channel that movement into sliding into the seat of their booth. Wally plopped down across from her, and practically lunged at the menu when the hostess handed them over.

"Wow!" exclaimed the hostess as she flashed an ebullient smile. "_Someone's_ obviously hungry!"

"Hungry?" repeated Wally without tearing his eyes away from the glorious spread of tantalizing treats that were begging to become three-dimensional. "I'm _famished!_ Say, what do you recommend?"

The hostess giggled. "Oh, _everything_. But we're best known for our lobsters, of course. They're very _juicy_ and _tender_ and…"

Artemis looked up from her menu and stared with displeasure at the hostess. She had actually leaned her elbows onto their table and was pointing menu items to Wally while simultaneously flaunting her bosom and nauseatingly sugary charm. Her voice had suddenly pranced up a few notches and apparently the menu was hiding secret jokes because practically every other noise from her mouth was a jingling titter. Suddenly the air around her became stifling, and Artemis unbuttoned her coat and tossed it onto the empty space beside her.

She continued to watch Wally and the hostess warily. He said a few words to the hostess, and suddenly the girl straightened and grabbed both their menus, and with one last candied smile, flounced away. Artemis shot him a stern questioning look, and flipped her palms upwards as if to gesture, "What the heck just happened?"

"I took the liberty of ordering for us," he explained.

"Okay first of all," she began, trying to prevent her voice from oozing umbrage, "I didn't even get to _look_ at the menu. And secondly, you gave our order to the _hostess_?"

Wally smiled confidently and leaned back into the booth's cushiony seat. "Relax! She'll put in our order—it's just a short-cut I've learned from being a restaurant connoisseur."

Artemis sighed. She supposed there was probably no chance in arguing with him on that. "And what _exactly_ did _we_ order?"

He crossed his arms, expression still complacent. "You'll see."

She started shaking her head, but the curling of her lips betrayed her mirth. "This is the last time I'm going to a restaurant with you."

A waiter appeared and set down two tall glasses of water in front of the two, and Wally glanced at Artemis as his hindsight crystallized.

"Did you want anything else?" he asked in a tone that almost contained borderline concern if Artemis strained her ears hard enough.

She gave a one-shoulder shrug and smiled at the retreating waiter. "Nah, water's fine," she replied. "Thanks."

They sat in silence for a while, and for the first time, neither one of them knew how to start a conversation. Artemis concentrated on twirling her straw in her glass of water, and watched as miniature waves washed over miniature icebergs in a miniature polar pond. Wally fiddled around with the container of sugar packets, taking each one out and reading its label, inattentive to the definition of "identical". He put the last one back, and finally cleared his throat.

"What are three things you've always wanted to do?"

Wally's sudden question was like a fishing hook, yanking Artemis's thoughts back to dry land. She looked up in mid-stir with a look of surprise.

"Three things you've always wanted to do," he echoed after practically hearing the questioning exclamation in her mind. "Or, we could just wait here in agonizing silence until our food arrives."

Even though silence was golden, awkward was not, so after a few seconds of thought, she answered. "Um, fly, scuba dive, and…" she paused and looked up at the wooden ceiling beams, before slowly lowering her eyes again back to Wally, "draw."

Wally's eyebrow rose on its own account. "Draw? That's a terrifying image," he jested.

Her eyes flickered and she shot him the piercing glance that had nearly become her trademark when in Wally's presence. "My first sketch will be of me beating you up with my bow."

Wally laughed and picked up his glass of water. "Oh how I _quiver_ with fear," he teased while toasting her with his water.

Artemis faked a hearty guffaw, followed by a quick change of expression back to unamusement. "Wally, you _kill me_ with your cleverness," she quipped.

He finished sipping his water and then began unzipping his jacket, effectively ignoring her. Artemis found her eyes inadvertently following his zipper's downwards crawl, and swiftly blamed the fixation on her brain's natural reaction to the attraction of movement.

"As for _this_ clever and extremely handsome guy," Wally said while shedding his hoodie but obviously not his ego, "_he's_ always wanted to conduct research at a state-of-the art facility, visit a particle accelerator, and, well, flying sounds cool too."

Artemis rolled her eyes. "I am _not_ surprised…"

Wally smirked. "A.K.A. you're jealous."

She brushed off his comment, and continued with their impromptu game. "What are three things you're not good at?" she asked.

"Psh," he scoffed, "I'm good at _everything_."

Was it worrisome that Artemis had actually predicted he would say that _exact_ phrase? She tried to subtly sweep a parameter review of the entire restaurant in hopes of catching a certain red-haired and auburn-eyed telepath. Unsuccessful in her surveying, she turned back to Wally and continued without belying her worrying realization.

"Including failing?" she teased.

"Yeah. I _fail_ at failing," he riposted.

"You fail at not failing."

"I do not fail at not failing."

"You do not _not_ fail at not failing."

The two suddenly quieted and contemplated Artemis' words with identical frowns.

"I do not have enough glucose in my brain to process that," Wally finally muttered.

"Um, yeah me neither…" Artemis quickly added.

"Anyway," Wally continued, "three things that I'm just an electron away from being perfect at: handling criticism, admitting failure, and, um, dancing."

"_Dancing? _Really?" She snorted, which became a jangling laugh as a mental image of Wally attempting to groove at a nightclub materialized in her imagination.

"Even someone as flawless as me can't be amazing at _everything_." He stretched an arm over the booth. "Your turn. But you can only list _three_—I don't want to be here all night."

"Oh gee," she lamented humorously, "I don't even know I _have_ three."

Wally looked up at the ceiling with a feigned expression of apathy.

"Okay let's see," Artemis continued: "Lying, taking compliments, and um, board games."

"Board games?" Wally snapped his head forward to stare at her doubtfully. "How can you be bad at _board games_?"

"Um…" She looked down and started idly edging the empty straw wrapper against her fingernails. "Probably because I never really played them as a kid…"

"Oh…" Enter Wally West, king of faux pas and foot-in-the-mouth syndrome. He brought a hand to pull at the hair at the nape of his neck and quickly changed the topic. "Okay, um, how about three…three…pet peeves?"

Artemis's grin returned as she looked back at him. "Now _this_, I'm upset with the limit of three."

"Try not to over-exert that little brain of yours," he teased.

"If my brain's 'little'," she riposted, "then yours is microscopic."

"Microorganisms are hot." Wally winked at her. "Sexy binary-fission, remember?" he said, referring to their text message conversation during her first day at Gotham Academy.

"Whatever. Okay, my pet peeves," she resumed. "Well, I can't stand liars, probably because I can't lie myself. I also don't like shallow and whiney girls. Oh, and people who think they're the shit." She shot him a meaningful glare. "Definitely can't stand those."

Wally's laugh came in fits of increasing length and volume, as if he wasn't certain he had heard correctly, but still also recognizing the hilarity. Artemis crossed her arms challengingly.

"_Way_ to be the world's _biggest_ hypocrite!" he finally exclaimed when he could speak again. "You just basically described yourself in a nutshell!"

"At least I don't have one because I'm _not_ one, _Walnut_."

He leaned forward and opened his mouth to protest to the latest addition to his nickname-plague, but at that moment the waiter appeared with their steaming entrées, and his retaliations quickly drowned in a tidal wave of drool.

The waiter set her plate down, and Artemis found herself staring a whole lobster. Warm steam rose off its bright red shell in curling towers and wafted its tantalizing aroma into her face. Beside the lobster was a golden corn-on-the-cob, generous heap of mashed potatoes, and several slices of lemon. She looked over at Wally and saw he had ordered the same thing, but accompanied by another entrée of creamy shrimp pasta. The waiter set down a two bowls of yellow melted butter and finished by declaring, "Enjoy your meal!"

And that was exactly what they did.

Wally found himself mysteriously mesmerized at the scene before him. Artemis had taken the briefest of seconds in surveying her plate, and with a silent squint of approval, and grabbed a piece of lobster with absolutely no qualms about her lack of daintiness in eating before a guy.

And as he watched her crack open the shell of her second piece with hardly any effort, he admitted it was actually quite attrac—

Artemis suddenly caught his eye with a piece of lobster meat halfway to the bowl of butter, and frowned. He quickly composed his thoughts and the edge of his lips lifted into a crooked smile.

"God Arty, you eat like a freaking _pig_."

"Takes one to know one," she countered swiftly while dipping her morsel of lobster into the butter.

"Would you believe me if I told you I'm on a diet?"

Artemis shook her head, her mouth currently overwhelmed with the buttery and salty taste of lobster.

"I'm on the seafood diet—every time I see food, I eat it!"

She raised an eyebrow at him and groaned. "Please start eating so you'll stop talking."

Wally chuckled and picked up his own piece of lobster. When it came to his priorities, food always took precedence over winning a banter-battle with Artemis.

The emptying of their plates correlated not only with the filling of their stomachs, but also the noticeable increase in their moods. Gradually, smiles replaced scowls, and by the time dessert arrived in the form of a tantalizing chocolate lava cake, the two were practically intoxicated with amicable feelings.

"You ordered dessert?" asked Artemis, staring at Wally with authentic amazement.

He smiled and picked up a spoon. "Did you know," he began as he carved a morsel of cake for himself, and Artemis followed, "the consumption of sugars and simple carbohydrates allows the release of serotonin in the brain, which elevates mood, and thus once we start, we remain in the habit of eating sweets even after feeling full?"

"An excuse is never needed for dessert," she slurred after swallowing a mouthful of cake, nearly closing her eyes as she relished the warm chocolate sweetness melt on her tongue. "Oh, and you never told me _your_ pet peeves," she continued.

Wally looked up in mid-chew and made a movement to start talking. Artemis quickly pointed her spoon at him and shot him the "don't-you-freaking-dare" look. He smirked and waited until he had swallowed before answering.

"Well, let's see…three pet peeves: waiting around…fake people…oh, and girls that walk in herds and clog the hallways at school."

"I call them 'blood-clots'," Artemis added offhandedly while she hewed another bite of cake.

"Well this is awkward."

"What is?"

"That we both call them 'blood-clots'."

Artemis laughed, her voice hiding no indication of irritation, but only good-natured glee.

"We _actually_ have _something_ in _common_? Pinch me I must be dreaming!"

"Gladly!"

He reached for her arm but she quickly shifted and made a move to stab him with her spoon. He grinned and retreated, returning to the cake.

* * *

><p>Artemis brought her hand to her mouth and suppressed a hic-cup-like burp.<p>

"I am…_so_…full," she groaned.

Wally nodded in agreement, and pushed the empty plate that once housed the chocolate cake to the side.

"Food coma time!" he sighed blissfully, rubbing his stomach. He then yawned and stretched both arms to rest on the top of the booth. "I might just crash at the Cave tonight."

The warm sensation of being satiated settled around them like a down comforter, and they snuggled in, content to recline in comfortable silence for a brief moment.

Their waiter approached them with the bill, and Wally snatched it almost before it touched the table.

"I got this one," he offered.

"_Wally_," objected Artemis, pushing herself off the back of the booth, "I can pay for my half."

"Nope." He pulled out a debit card from his wallet and set it on the bill. He then smiled at her. "You can just grab our lunch tomorrow." The waiter, who had been standing nearby, quickly whisked away the payment.

"Ugh," Artemis grumbled and leaned back into the booth once again, "I don't even want to _think_ about eating again right now…"

"Really? I think I could go for a snack in about half-an-hour."

Instead of her natural instinct to roll her eyes again, she just gave him a lazy smile. The waiter returned with Wally's card and the receipt, and Artemis absentmindedly started playing with the strands of her ponytail. She observed him scribble some numbers down and scrawl his signature on the receipt before reaching for his wallet once more.

"Um, thanks," she finally said, feeling slightly perturbed at the entire this-is-not-a-date-but-Wally-just-bought-dinner-situation. Awkward turtles were once forever banned from her menagerie, but apparently they didn't get the memorandum and have come waddling back into her life.

"No problem," he replied lightly.

Artemis suddenly muttered something about using the restrooms and scooted out of the booth, her limbs acting on their own accord as her brain had suddenly overdosed on the possibility of over-analyzing the situation. Wally gave her a small nod and she hurried away.

Wally slid down on the vinyl seat, dragged by the heaviness of his stomach and eyelids. He stretched his legs underneath the table until it hit the bottom Artemis's empty booth. He looked up and stared at the unoccupied space and then realization smacked him in the face like a dodgeball.

He had just bought dinner for _Artemis_—the Empress of Snark, the Ringmaster of Irks, and the bane of his existence.

Not only had he bought dinner for her, but he had actually just _eaten_ dinner with her—complete with dessert!

Wally grumbled something incoherent. Apparently his brain was already senile, and it was becoming more addled by the day. Or, maybe he had somehow contracted mad cow disease from a contaminated piece of steak, and a gaggle of prions were now coming together as aggregates, forming dense plaque fibers, and hosting frat-parties in the resulting holes in his brain.

At this point, contracting bovine spongiform encephalopathy was definitely more plausible than him acting on his free will to have dinner with Artemis—and then willingly pay for it all too.

It was preposterous! It was ridiculous! It was laughable!

But it had felt…nice.

Although he would _never_ admit this to anyone—not even Rob—this was actually his first time purchasing anything for a girl outside of family.

And it had felt _nice_.

It didn't make him break out into a jack-o-lantern smile nor did it shoot an urge for him to fist-pump and bro-fist everyone in the restaurant, but it did make him feel more wholesome. There was a cozy cottage in his soul, and the fireplace was burning bright in front of a couch of cotton throws and hot chocolate.

* * *

><p>At least the noise of the faucet was having a calming effect on Artemis. She was able to concentrate on visualizing her jumble of thoughts materialize into the shimmering silver string of water and disappear down the drain. They would eventually rush into the ocean and become nothing more than a swirl of shining bubbles behind a dolphin's tail as it swam into the horizon where the water met the night sky—a sky full of stars—stars that Wally had traced with his fingers while he lay next to her on the beach.<p>

Artemis flinched and slammed her hand noisily at the soap dispenser, only to awkwardly discover it was automated. The woman next to her shot her a look mixed with pity and bewilderment, before quickly walking out of the restroom, and thus thankfully leaving Artemis alone.

She slowly lathered her hands with soap, and although her eyes were focused on the frothing white bubbles sliding smoothly on her skin, her mind was elsewhere.

This was absurd, she thought, as there was absolutely _nothing_ to ponder about.

_So_ _what_ she had just shared dinner with Wally at a pleasant sit-down restaurant—there wasn't a law that banned friends or teammates from having a meal together.

_So what_ the hostess had annoyed her to the ninth circle of hell and back—she would have annoyed even a toddler with that irritatingly high voice and disgustingly open manner of flirting.

_So what_ she and Wally had surprisingly showed more amity than animosity towards each other during the entire meal—the food was honestly distracting, and it was difficult to quip when all the blood has rushed to your digestive organs.

And_ so what_ Wally had just paid for her dinner—she _was_ going to buy them lunch tomorrow. It was a fair trade, and nothing short of being businesslike.

The silk between her fingers was morphing into the consistency of molasses as the soap dried. She turned on the faucet once more, and watched as the water brought the bubbles back to life as they slid off her skin.

She was _not_ naïve—she recognized the intruding seed that was sprouting these thoughts. However, she refused to water the soil, or clear the clouds for sunlight. Maybe the seed would disintegrate as an insignificant piece of lint in her heart, and not wilt like a blood-red rose with razor-thorns like last time…

She looked up at her reflection—and two distracted dark eyes gazed desolately back. Nearly two years had passed since _that_ rose had lost its last petal, but at least the memory of the beast and his castle was still alive inside her heart, serving as a warning. She was wiser now; she would _not_ be the fool again.

* * *

><p>Wally had almost drifted into a post-dinner snooze when Artemis suddenly poked him in the shoulder.<p>

"I could hear you snoring from the restrooms."

Wally lazily rolled his head up until he could make out her silhouette through his eyelashes. "Artemis? Is that you?" he groaned. "This is a terrible nightmare…"

She jabbed him in the shoulder again, effectively causing his balance to teeter until he was forced to prop an arm on the space beside him to prevent from spilling all over the seat in a jumble of limbs.

"Oh come on," she prodded. "Let's go so you can drool in your bed instead of innocent restaurant furniture."

Wally languidly pushed himself upright, and then slowly scooted out of the booth like a half-tranquilized bear.

Artemis sighed, and shifted her weight so she could tap her foot impatiently. "Any day now..."

"This had to be at least plus-_two_ points," he remarked sluggishly.

"Nuh uh," Artemis argued, her eyes following his as he finally stood up. "I'm buying lunch tomorrow, remember? So this holds no point-value."

"That lunch better be worth me losing two points," he mumbled as he meandered through the restaurant.

"You did not _lose_ any points!" Artemis argued as she followed.

"But, I could have gained some," he pointed out.

"Fine, if you want your two stupid points, you can buy lunch tomorrow too."

"No way, Arty." He looked back at her and grinned. "I'm not _that_ desperate for your 'stupid points'."

"I don't _give_ them out; you _beg_ for them."

"I _earn_ them," he corrected her as they passed through the restaurant doors and out into the night.

They walked in silence, and with only had one longing desire on their minds—the moment when they could finally crawl into bed and hibernate away the feast they had just consumed. The after-meal stupor still held its effect on the normally hyper-active speedster, and he was thankfully not unleashing his inner spirit-windmill again.

The black sky above spangled with stars, and a few lone clouds glowed pearly gray in the full moon like ghostly tiger-stripes. As Wally and Artemis left the main portion of town and turned down a less populated side-road, the world hushed into a mysterious halcyon only the night could bring forth.

However, paradise was oftentimes merely an illusion—the anticipated moment of silence as the beast inhales before attacking. As they passed an unlit alleyway tucked between two brick buildings, a sudden voice startled them both from their evening reveries.

"Hello, my little Tigress."

Artemis froze, and so did her heart.

_That voice._

She whipped her head towards the darkness and heard the thudding of incoming footsteps. Beside her, Wally also halted in mid-step and tensed, every muscle straining in apprehension.

When the owner of the voice emerged in the yellow light of the streetlamp, Artemis's breath died in her throat. _You…!_

But before she could will herself to breathe, Wally rushed forward with his inhuman speed, grabbed the other teenage boy by the neck, and shoved him against the alley's wall with a grating crunch.

"Icicle Junior!" Wally snarled, baring his teeth. "_What are you doing out of Belle Reve?!_"

His victim coughed and sputtered, and strained to pry himself from his grip. Artemis finally shook herself out of the binds of shock and silence.

"Wally!" she cried, and reached out to pull his arm. "Stop! Put him down!"

Wally loosened his hand and Icicle Jr. slid to the floor, choking and massaging his neck.

"Your boyfriend sure has an iron-like grip to match his temper, Tigress," he leered.

"What are you doing out of Belle Reve?!" Wally yelled again, brushing past the other comment.

"Warden let me out on parole due to good behavior," Icicle Jr. explained haughtily. He then straightened and turned to Artemis. "I came here to see you, Tigress."

He stared at her with a familiar and forlorn look, and Artemis was suddenly brought back to when she was fourteen, and had just said her final good-bye to him at her doorsteps. It was a wound that still caused her heart to ache, and her resolve almost dissipated. But then she remembered: _she_ had broken up with _him_, and _for a reason_.

"_Don't_ call me that, Cameron," she spat out venomously. She swiftly pulled her crossbow from her jacket and unfolded it with a resonating click.

Cameron's eyes fell on the weapon and he raised his hands in submission. "Babe, I didn't come here to fight. I just wanted to talk."

"_Don't call me that either_," she growled.

Beside her, Wally crunched his hands into fists.

"'_Babe'_?" he repeated in appalling disbelief, looking between Cameron and Artemis. "_What the hell _is going on here?"

"None of your business," sneered the other boy. He fluidly slid from his trapped position to stand more in the open, and consequently closer to Artemis.

"Artemis." Cameron locked his eyes on hers and his tone suddenly changed from a lion to a lamb. "I honestly just wanted to talk. You know I wouldn't fight you. You can bind and take me in right now, but I would _never_ fight you. You know that."

"You're a dirty liar!" Wally snapped, stepping in front of Artemis. "Tell me one good reason why I shouldn't—"

He stopped when he felt Artemis's hand on his shoulder, and twisted his head around at the touch. She was looking at him a composed expression that stood wildly in contrast to the ferocity burning inside him.

"Wally," she said firmly, "I can handle this on my own."

"Artemis, he's a _criminal_. He _assisted_ in the attempted prison break at Belle Reve. How do we know that the only reason he's here—" he jabbed a finger at Cameron's chest. "—is because they actually _succeeded_ this time?"

"If that had actually happened," interrupted Cameron testily, and Wally glared at him, "there would have been major attacks in all the cities by now." He peered around Wally and caught Artemis's eye. "I really just came here to talk to you, I promise."

"You're not getting _anywhere_ near her—" Wally swore, his voice frothing with venom.

"Wally…"

"—and you're damn right as hell we're going to bind you and take you in right now!"

"Wally!"

He spun around. His wild eyes locked on Artemis's, and she stared indignantly back.

"Stop it!" she demanded.

"Why?" he insisted irately. "Do you actually _believe_ him?"

"Yes!"

"What?" His eyes quivered with shock. "_Why?_"

Artemis released a sharp sigh, and began to explain, her voice unwavering and void of any indication of a lie: "Cameron and I dated for a year, and before that, we were… best friends…"

Wally balked, his mind stuttering with the new information. For some reason, it stung more than if she had physically punched him. He remained silent, and the sound of his rough breathing was the only sound in the alleyway.

"Ouch," piped up Cameron. "Guess you didn't tell your new boyfriend _that_ tidbit of information from your past…"

Wally and Artemis whipped around and yelled at the same time.

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"I'm not her boyfriend!"

"Great!" Cameron beamed and threw up his hands. "Then you wouldn't mind if I borrowed her for a few minutes _just to talk_."

"_Yeah I do_," Wally retorted back in a guttural snarl.

"Wally."

His eyes returned to Artemis.

"Wally," she continued, her voice steadier than her breathing, "just—I'll meet you back at the Cave, okay?"

"Are you insane?" he barked. "I'm not leaving you alone with _him_!"

"I'm not a five-year-old," returned Artemis, her temper rising; "I can take care of myself!"

"That's not the point!"

"Oh, and what is?" Her face was just mere inches away from him, and so close he could feel the heat radiate from her skin, adding to his own heap of embers. "You don't want to see me talking to another guy, is that it?" she hissed.

He tightened his jaw and stared silently at her. Even in the low light Artemis could see the muscles in his face and neck tense.

"I don't trust him," he finally stated.

"You don't _know_ him," she countered.

"He's a _criminal_," he yelled, "and that's all I need to know not to trust him alone with you!"

"I can't believe you're acting like you _own me_, Wally, because news flash: _you don't!_"

She practically screamed those last words, and as soon as they left her lips she immediately wish she could turn back time. Wally stiffened, and the glint in his eye sharpened, and if Artemis was a weaker girl, she would have recoiled from the sudden darkening of his visage.

"Fine. If you can't appreciate me trying to…" he heatedly looked away, searching furiously for the word, "_help_ you—" his glare returned to her face, "then…._fine_."

There was no throwing up of the hands; no more additions to the list of accusations. He didn't even yell. His words were whispered in an eerie hush, but it was a fervent hush that rose from burning coals.

Before Artemis could say another word, he turned his back to her, and she was besieged with regret. She wanted to stop him, but neither her hand nor her voice reached out fast enough, and with a rush of air he disappeared.

She considered chasing after him, but then remembered the cause of this…incident, and she whirled around to see Cameron leaning against the brick wall of the alleyway with a smirk on his face.

"You sure he's not your boyfriend? Sure acts like it."

"What do you want." It was not a question, but a statement—a demanding statement that flashed her irritation of the entire situation like neon lights. She propped one hand on her hip, and tilted her head the opposite direction, clearly insisting on anything but bullshit.

Cameron's leer dissolved to reveal a tender smile and softened eyes. "I just missed you, that's all. The first thing I wanted to do after I was released on parole was to see you."

Icicle Jr. may be able to pull a quick-change in expression, but Artemis was resolute on her face of stone. "Well, you can take a picture—it lasts longer."

"It's good to know you haven't changed, Tigress," he spoke with mirth.

He shifted his stance slightly so the streetlamp illuminated his face. Two years had passed since Artemis had last seen him, and in those two years his face had become more angular, his blue eyes more piercing, and his overall demeanor…harsher. She narrowed her eyes.

"I already told you," Artemis answered while resisting the desire to slap him, "_don't_ call me that. I'm _not_ your _Tigress_—not anymore."

"I—I'm sorry," he stammered, taken aback by her unrelenting resentment, "I just…I miss you, and—"

"And _what_." She was throwing daggers at him; her patience was evaporating.

Cameron drew in a ragged breath. "And I'm _sorry_," he finally exhaled.

Her eyes narrowed, and she felt the muscles in the back of her neck tense. _No. They were _not_ going to go back to _that_ incident again._

"I'm not taking you back, if that's what you're after," she retaliated fiercely.

His eyes widened, and his shoulders slumped forward.

"I could _never_ forgive you for what you did, Cameron." She paused. The sudden surge of excruciating memories nearly blinded her, but her resolve stood firm against the deluge of flashbacks. "And I'm _not_ going back to that lifestyle."

"How'd you do it?" he asked suddenly.

Her eyes quickly flickered from rage to puzzlement. "Do what?"

"Make the switch," he elaborated quietly; "escape your dad."

Artemis swallowed and her gaze shifted skywards, where she found herself tracing the constellation of Ursa Minor with her eyes until she was left staring at the North Star. "I just realized one night that what my parents did—and still do—is _not_ what I want." She turned back to face him. "This is _my_ life; _not_ my dad's."

"And I bet he's _real_ happy with that."

"I don't care. He left."

A hush fell between them, blanketing everything in darkness. Cameron's eyes focused on Artemis's shoulders, and he fought the burning urge to grab them and pull her into an embrace for eternity. He had been dreaming of this moment for too long, and the perfection of his imagination was now a burning poker stick of disappointment. It wasn't supposed to be this way; he would find her and pour his heart to her, she would forgive him and return to his arms, and they would live happily ever after in their winter wonderland as King and Queen of their glittering tundra kingdom.

But imagination is what one imagines; realization is what defines reality, and with a sickening drop of his heart, Cameron realized that winter wonderland had long melted away from the fire of his actions nearly two years ago.

"I guess this is good-bye then—again," he sighed, his voice ragged and somber.

"Cam…" She sighed, her patience fading fast like her floating clouds of breath. "I really wish I could still call you my friend, but after what _you did to me_—"

"It's okay," he interrupted, not desiring to have her push the knives of regret deeper into his flesh. "I guess I didn't really expect you to forgive me, even if it _has_ been nearly two years."

"Then why'd you come here tonight?" she demanded, crossing her arms. "Why'd you risk a fight by showing your face when you already knew there was nothing here but disappointment for you?"

"I told you—I just wanted to see you, and—"

"Well, you got your wish." She turned to leave.

"Artemis—"

She looked over her shoulder and spared him a glance out the corner of her eye. "_Good-bye_, Cameron."

She heard him sigh once more behind her, but she focused on putting one foot in front of the other until the alley was behind her.

_She was wiser now; she would _not_ be the fool again. _

She looked up from the ground and was surprised to see Wally, sitting on a discreet sidewalk bench that still maintained a clear vantage point of the alley entrance. His expression remained impassive as she walked up, and he rose to join her without a word. The two continued down the street in silence, but with a wholly opposite atmosphere than when they had left the restaurant.

The stillness was suffocating, and Artemis desperately wanted to breathe. But every time she would map out her words in her mind, her heart would race and convince her she didn't have enough courage.

She _knew_ what Wally was thinking. She knew what types of shameful judgments he was silently accusing her of.

And she also knew that he was waiting for an explanation from her—something more than that brief and heated confession back in the alley.

But she was scared—scared that the expanded truth may be worse than the confessions in his imagination, and he would shun her. If he also told the Team, they would alienate her too, and may go to the extreme of demanding her to cut all bonds and leave—forever.

She _had_ to tell him though, but she would only divulge only the information necessary. She wasn't ready to reveal the identity of her family—not yet.

Her inwards debate concluded just as they arrived at the Cave entrance. Wally opened the latch, and before Artemis could find the opportune moment to speak, he was gone. Only the fading wind surrounding her hair as it floated over her shoulder gave any indication the speedster had been next to her just seconds ago.

She let him go. Candles were easier to douse than raging infernos.

* * *

><p>Most boys his age unleashed their rage through their muscles at the gym, but Wally West took showers.<p>

When he was younger, his anger brought forth millions of wicked thoughts and equally wicked actions. He would throw untamable tantrums and lash out like a feral beast, until one day, the beast became so uncontrollable that he accidentally injured his mother. From that horrifying moment on, he vowed to unleash his frustrations through another route.

Showers allowed him to think in peace. They also occupied his limbs so his mind wouldn't be completely consumed in hatred, and his bottled-energy had a release. If the hot water didn't purify his emotions, at least it cleaned him physically.

Wally sped to the showers and shed his clothes haphazardly in the locker room with the same unblinking speed. He turned on the hot water, and it was only when the stream hit his bare skin did he allow himself to exhale through his gritted teeth.

He was feeling every emotion that he hated to acknowledge. He was angry. He was hurt. He was confused. He was disappointed.

"_Cameron and I dated for a year, and before that, we were best friends…"_

He thought he knew her, but apparently it was all secrets and lies.

* * *

><p>Wally wasn't all that surprised to see her sitting on the locker room bench, eyes directed to the floor, waiting for him. He tightened the towel around his waist and waited.<p>

Artemis nervously crossed her legs and jangled her foot, her eyes still not meeting his.

Patience wasn't Wally's forte—or mezzo-forte—and his shower hadn't quite washed away all his sullied emotions.

"Well?" he began. "Are you just going to sit there quietly or are you going to finally do some explaining?"

Judging from her startled expression, his words probably came out more caustic than intended. But Wally stood firm and remained quiet for her response.

"What do you want me to say?" she finally answered, her voice low and husky.

"Uh." Wally put his hands on his hips. "What you do you _have_ to say…?"

"He honestly just wanted to talk, and—"

"_What else_ are you hiding from m—" Wally stopped himself, and started over. "What else are you hiding from us?"

She uncrossed and crossed her legs, and moved her hands from her lap to rest on the edge of the bench. "Wally, I don't think the past is relevant to—"

"Not relevant?" his voice rose. "You dated a well-known criminal! Obviously you—"

"Dat_ed_!" she yelled back, jumping to her feet and looking into his eyes finally. "_Past tense!_"

"What were you doing with that crowd anyway, huh, Artemis?"

"I—"

"Am I going to pass _Clayface_ one day and he's going to _also_ want to _talk_ to you?"

Artemis's heart turned to jagged ice, and her vision literally blurred from the fury seething inside her. She had been prepared to tell Wally _everything_ tonight, but if he wanted to be an _ass_, then _fine_.

"You can buy your own lunch tomorrow," she coldly hissed, before whipping around and walking away.

Wally glared at her retreating back, and when she disappeared out the door, he spun around and punched the nearest locker, forever immortalizing the imprint of his fist into the metal.

Never in his life had his heart felt so _raw_—like it was burning up in flames and drowning in the arctic sea at the same time.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I am just overwhelmed with how much love this story has gotten—on here and on Tumblr—and I really owe it **all** to **you**. I am merely the humble scribe that records the events of these characters, but it's **you** who truly breathes life into the words and paragraphs, as a story isn't a story until it enters the imagination of its readers.

So, **thank you**.

Also, thank you **Satellites On Parade** for continuing to be my awesome beta. You + me = love forever.


	8. Present

**A/N:** Well then, apparently I've been getting my dates wrong. YJ is actually set on a 2010 calendar, but I've been basing all the events in ALF on a 2011 calendar (everything from days of the week to the moon phases)…SO LET'S JUST PRETEND IT TAKES ALL PLACE IN 2011 :D

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. Or write for them T_T

* * *

><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<br>**_**VIII. Present  
><strong>_v. to bring, offer, or give, often in a formal or ceremonious way  
>n. a thing presented as a gift<br>adj. being, existing, or occurring at this time or now; current  
>adj. being here<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Sarasota, FL<br>November 19, 17:24 EST**

Wally's first thought when he saw her fall backwards from the warehouse catwalk was: _No, not again! I'M NOT LOSING HER AGAIN!_

Kaldur's yell to stop boomed through his head, but his entire focus was on catching Artemis before her limp body crashed onto the concrete. A thunder of bullets burst forth the instant her weight fell into his arms, but with a blink of black and dark green, he vanished to safety. He slammed his back against a metal container, shielded away from the barrage, and peered down anxiously at an unconscious Artemis. With a horrifying drop of his heart, felt something warm trickle from the back of her head through his stealth suit. Time suddenly froze and the world fell eerily silent.

_No…_

"Everyone fall back! Fall back to the Bioship!" Kaldur's firm mental-command boomed through Wally's head and dragged his mind from its free-fall.

He checked Artemis's pulse with a trembling hand, and almost cried out in relief when he felt the solid palpitations, each beat signifying she still had one more second with him.

"Wally, bring Artemis back to the Bioship, _this instant!_" For the first time since they formed the Team, Wally actually heard Kaldur's earthy voice shiver with panic.

And then someone—probably M'gann—briefly flashed back to _that moment_ on the tundra nearly a month ago, and he was inundated with a deluge of terror that joined his own. They were all remembering when Artemis had "died", and there was nothing but frozen fear coursing through the telepathic link.

"I need someone to draw their fire!" Wally barked back.

Without losing a second, Superboy replied, "I'm on it."

Wally heard—and felt—Superboy leap and land on the other side of the warehouse. The bullets were momentarily redirected, and gave him the chance to rush out with Artemis clutched against his chest. His mind wandered on their own accord to the last time he had held her like this: they were in Bialya and suffering from amnesia—how long ago that seemed; how distant and alien. And here he was, saving her once again, but this time, there was no grateful smile on her lips, or scintillating speculation in her eyes. There was only the silent weight of her body in his arms.

The flight back to the Cave was the most harrowing hour of Wally's life. The back of Artemis's head had ceased its flow of blood, and her condition was at least momentarily stabilized for the moment as she lay unconscious on the Bioship's infirmary bed. But as he sat next to her and stared at her face, illuminated a ghostly purple from the Bioship's lights, his mind could not ignore the shifting demons that plagued him. No one said a word, and Wally was left with only the howling noise of his thoughts, with one in particular that continued to surface like a ravenous crocodile.

He had never apologized.

Of _all_ the agonizing voices behind his shadowed eyes, it was how he had never apologized to Artemis over the whole Icicle-Junior-fiasco from a week ago that haunted him like an obstinate demon. It had been a week of grating silence between both of them—no text messages during school, no interactions at the Cave, not even eye-contact during their mission briefing—nothing but stinging avoidance.

In actuality, he had realized his faults just mere hours after their fight—logic finally won the battle against emotion, and he grasped just how unwisely he had overreacted towards her. All his flaws had clawed their way to the surface that evening—stubbornness, pride, and jealousy—to create a monster he never thought existed. _He_ had acted as the villain that night.

And truthfully, the desire to apologize corroded him like H2SO4 the entire week. He found himself constantly raging battles with his willpower to pick up his phone and send her a simple text-message. He knew it was the right thing to do—it was what he _wanted_ to do—but the dark hand of uncertainty always dragged him back, and his phone would be left staring at him with a gaping black screen.

Wally's eyes drifted from Artemis's face to her hand lying limply next to her still form. His own fingers uncurled, and with a strange magnetic pull, began to float towards her. His hand stopped as it hovered a centimeter away from her own, and in his mind, he enclosed it within his fingers and brought it to his chest, close to his heart.

But both their fingers remained cold and detached as he slowly retreated back into reality. All he could do was sit paralyzed with uncertainty, and pray to everything he had never believed in for Artemis to wake up—even for just a minute—at least so he could apologize.

**Mount Justice  
>November 20, 2:03 AM<strong>

Artemis frowned in her sleep, and she was suddenly pulled back into consciousness with a flare of pain. She groaned softly and curled her fists around her sheets, gritting her teeth and forcing herself to breathe deeply to divert her concentration away from the throbbing in her head. She tried to remember the murky details of what had transpired, but it was like cupping water in her trembling hands.

She had been on a mission with the team in Florida…she was standing sentry on the catwalks above the warehouse…and then she had felt a sharp lightning of agony that blinded her vision, the slipping of gravity and air, and finally the dark abyss of emptiness.

She turned her head to the side and felt the soft fabric of her pillow cushion her cheek. She groaned again and silently berated herself. If she was in her bed, she could only conclude that her lapse into unconsciousness had completely jeopardized the mission.

She had made a promise to herself two years ago that weakness would never manifest itself in her actions or thoughts, especially during a fight. Her fists and heart would remain iron-wrought. Helpless, frail, feeble—these were words she _despised_; these were words she strived to _never_ embody.

But tonight, she had broken that promise and failed, and failure was like caustic venom to her soul. The blackness behind her eyelids caved into claustrophobic thoughts, and she furiously snapped them open.

She gradually took in the warm honey light of her bedside lamp, the dark shadows beyond its soft halo, and the embrace of stillness over everything. She reached a hand to the back of her head and fingered the thick gauze of a bandage. She was submerged with biting disappointment once more, and her fingers twitched on their own and pressed down harder than she anticipated, sending another jab of pain through her head. She hissed a feral curse in her mind and scrunched up until she managed to sit upright. She gingerly leaned against the headboard and swore under her breath again as her eyes landed at the foot of her bed.

There, snoozing on the lounge sofa, softly glowing in the light like some self-proclaimed angel from the foul fountain of flirts, was none other than Wally.

_Perfect_, she thought sarcastically. Wally snoring in her room was _definitely_ the cherry on top of a terrible week.

She pulled the covers to her shoulders (someone—M'gann no doubt—had changed her out of her combat suit and into pajamas), and settled into a more comfortable position. Her eyes remained on Wally, and regarded his peaceful sleeping visage with calm annoyance.

She didn't really care why he was sleeping there—or why he was in her room _at all_. All she wanted was for him to _wake up_ and _go away_. She had in mind to catapult the spare pillow on her bed into his stupid face, but her limbs remained motionless.

The rage she had felt after their argument last weekend rivaled the fury that had boiled in her heart when she learned of her mother's sacrifice and her father's deception. Her anger had evolved into a wildfire—untamable and blind; its only goal: to unleash, and to consume. That inferno led her to the streets of Gotham that night of their argument, and she blazed through every alleyway and abandoned park, striking out at each criminal with raw lashes of fire. When she ran out of arrows, she used her crossbow. When her crossbow cracked in half, she used her fists. When her fists began to shred and bleed, she relished in the pain and continued her onslaught. Only when the first rays of morning fell upon her hands did the flames vanish into smoke, and she staggered into her old apartment and collapsed onto her bed.

She concluded that she absolutely hated Wally. She hated how pretentious he was, and how he let his smugness foil every situation. She hated how stubborn he was, and his inability to apologize for a fight that was clearly his spawn. She hated how he could always riposte every word she spat at him. She hated how he could make her laugh when smiling wasn't even an option. She hated how they had become friends in the short course of a few months.

Above all else, she hated how much she had actually _missed_ him this past week, and how much his silent treatment had…hurt.

Upon her alarming epiphany, she mentally balked and attempted to back-track. She only "missed" him because he had established such a standard position in her life—texting her daily, seeing each other regularly, bantering and laughing hourly—and of course when such a normal occurrence was disturbed, _any_ perfectly sane person would feel some form of emptiness. She would be feeling the same range of emotions even if Wally's place was exchanged with Robin, or M'gann, or… _anyone_ on the team.

But a faint unrecognizable voice in her head begged to differ. Against all logical reason, she momentarily agreed, and in that spark of frustration she grabbed the pillow next to her and hurled it at Wally.

The pillow came into contact with his face with a satisfactory thump, and he nearly staggered backwards from the inelegant wake-up call. His eyes popped open and he grunted something unintelligible but definitely belonging to the sailor-world. He was temporarily dazed as he stared at the pillow, but his eyes suddenly darted to meet Artemis's and he stiffened. A wide grin erupted on his face, and Artemis's heart fleetingly hiccupped.

"So, Sleeping Beauty has finally awoken." His voice sounded hoarse, like the effect of scraping two pieces of bark together, but there could be no greater contrast to his peridot eyes that remained vivid.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, ignoring the ridiculous addition to her apparently endless list of nicknames.

"Basically to make sure you you're still alive." He shrugged and leaned back into the sofa. "Not that I care, of course."

"Yeah," she agreed sarcastically, "you were doing _such_ an excellent job while snoring away."

"Hey, not my fault it took you—" he paused and glanced at his watch, "nearly nine hours to snap out of your stupid coma."

His mentioning of her previous state brought a fresh throb of pain to her head. She gritted her teeth to prevent a groan from escaping. If she really had been out for nine hours—and her head churned through muddy fog as she tried to mentally calculate the current time—it was around two in the morning now. She stared at him, and noticed for the first time the ashen hue on his cheeks, and the haggard shadows under his eyes. His hair was more unkempt than usual, and he was wearing a lazy and wrinkled grey t-shirt that had no doubt been dug from an abandoned drawer in his room.

"What happened?" she asked, as she winced slightly. "I feel like I got hit by a truck…"

"Wouldn't _that_ be the day!" Wally jested, but his eyes dulled. "Actually," he continued somberly, "a crowbar, so pretty close I guess."

"A lame _crowbar_ took me out?" Frustration was evident all over her face like jagged rocks jutting from a virgin snow-covered field. Her shoulders sagged, and Wally would see her jaw tighten even in the low light.

"It was a _sharp_ crow-bar, wielded by a creep that could really pack a punch," he added, as if in morbid reassurance. His voice then dropped into a low murmur. "We were actually afraid you were…um, not going…to make it." He hoarsely breathed the last phrase like it was poison on his tongue, or something too brittle to let out into callous reality.

They had all thought the head trauma Artemis had suffered was fatal—she would either be in a coma for a seemingly endless amount of days or… Wally had refused to even begin fathoming the other option. When the Bioship landed at Mount Justice after agonizing eternity, he had rushed her into the medical lab, and with the help of Batman and his uncle, they put Artemis through a CT and MRI scan. Thankfully, her bleeding was merely superficial and through only a gash on her skin, and not as a result of deeper damage; nor was there any sign of intracerebral hemoragging.

Her coma was predicted to be short-lived. However, Batman requested constant surveillance of her state for safety measures. Without any hesitation, Wally volunteered to watch over her for the night, and a silently perceptive Batman gave him permission.

"I guess I have a thick skull," Artemis joked in a weak voice, her lips pursing into an aborted attempt at a smile.

"You know what was weird though?" Wally continued as he distantly recalled the evening. "Sportsmaster seemed really ticked after that goon of his took you out. He like, flipped his shit at the guy. It was…_weird_."

"Sportsmaster can go to hell," she returned in a low growl, averting her gaze.

Suddenly a hush entered the room, and the two mutually realized they had just shared their first conversation since…_that fight_. They both possessed the smoldering desire to apologize and wish for the world to right itself again, but each remained chained to their own unrelenting doubts. Artemis peered down and busied her fingers with smoothing out the wrinkles in her comforter. Wally reached his hand to the back of his neck and looked in every direction except the archer's, resisting the urge to visually swallow the scene of her pale skin, glowing eyes, and radiant golden hair falling loosely around her shoulders—a scene that proved she was _alive_.

_The zeta radiation proves she's alive! She's—!_

Suddenly Wally leaped off the sofa and rushed out of the room. When Artemis looked up at his abrupt departure, she found him already standing next to her bed, teetering suddenly from the swift loss in momentum. He was holding a large gift-bag, which he tentatively placed onto her lap.

She looked from the bag to Wally, her expression overflowing with bewilderment.

"Please tell me this isn't to celebrate how I completely ruined our mission by passing out," she commented, using her unamusement as a mask for her curiosity.

"S'your birthday present," muttered Wally, his words tumbling out of his mouth like spilled gumballs.

Artemis could have laughed, if her other emotions weren't taking precedence in her mind. Due to her focus on her misery this past week, she had _completely_ forgotten that today was indeed her birthday. However, in all honesty, she never gave much thought to her birthdays before. Like holidays, they would always pass like any other day. What did age matter to someone who always felt older than her years?

"You really didn't have to get me anything…"

"Well, I did, so deal with it," Wally responded lightheartedly.

His attempt at a joke prodded Artemis to finally sigh and peer into the bag. She hesitantly reached in, and let her fingers hit the edge of what felt like a book. She slowly pulled it out, and a tidal wave of emotion crashed into her.

It was a sketchbook. Wally had gotten her a sketchbook; he had _remembered_.

"Wow, Wally, uh…" she mumbled, nearly speechless.

Wally interrupted her. "There's um, more," he quickly said.

She hooked a finger over the edge of the bag and tilted it towards her, and felt an object inside shift. Reaching inside, she lifted out a slender wooden box, carved from deep mahogany, and simple in design. She carefully opened the lid, and discovered a small collection of drawing pencils, along with a sharpener and eraser.

As Artemis looked down at the sketchbook and box of pencils, all her resentment towards Wally dissipated. This was the kindest thing anyone had ever gotten for her in the longest time. Her fingers clutched the box tightly to prevent her overpowering emotions from cascading out. After such a tormenting week, combined with the physical pain of her aching head and this sudden outpouring of unfamiliar friendliness, it took all her willpower not to lunge at Wally and burrow into his arms again.

"I—I don't know what to say," she finally whispered, hating how her voice cracked at these times of vulnerability. She also hated that she _had_ times of vulnerability.

"You can say you forgive me—"

Artemis jerked her head up and her eyes locked onto his. He was rocking on the balls of his feet and had fretfully tucked both hands into his back pockets. He currently possessed the uncanny resemblance of a lonely child seeking atonement.

"—because I'm also here to apologize for…you know…" he paused, and gestured distantly with his hand, looking away. "I'm sorry for overreacting, and stuff…"

In her imagination, Artemis shoved the sketchbook and box of pencils away and grabbed Wally into a hug, and breathed her own apology into his chest while his arms tightly embraced her in understanding. But she knew her mind was being absurd, and such a thought was likely the result of probable brain damage. So instead, she bit her lower lip and inhaled slowly until the air filled every alcove of her chest.

"It was also my fault," she said as she exhaled, "so I'm sorry too." She turned away, and traced a finger down the smooth edge of the box in her hands. "I just wasn't used to—" she paused and frowned, searching for the proper word, "anyone being so… protective of me, I guess. If that's even the word!" she added nervously, the words flying out before she could stop herself. "I mean, if that's what you were actually doing. N-not that I'm assuming! Or…anything…"

She didn't trust herself to look at Wally and continued to fiddle with the pencil box, rubbing her fingertips over the smooth corners and admiring the reflection of her lamp on its polished surface.

"Oh, well, I've never had—" Wally stopped, and Artemis looked at him. The curiosity reflecting in her eyes urged him to continue, but instead he shook his head. "Nevermind. So, um, I guess we're cool then?" He smiled anxiously at her.

"Well, I know _I'm_ cool," she quipped. "_You're_ still kind of a dork."

Wally's smile broadened, and he sat down at the foot of her bed. He leaned back into her comforter until his head was in his arms and he stared at her in the same wondering manner he used when gazing at the stars. Artemis rolled her eyes, but her mouth twitched gradually into a smirk.

"I can't believe I'm actually saying this," Wally began, his face glowing, "but I'm glad you're one-hundred percent back." And he was telling the truth.

"Not _one-hundred_ percent, because I think my head might just cave-in if I punch you, which is what I _really_ want to do right now."

Wally wrinkled his nose at her, and started to say something, but Artemis abruptly blurted out, "Please don't tell the rest of the Team."

He wasn't sure what shocked him more—her words, the tone they were laced with, or her pleading eyes, so unfamiliar without their usual glint. It triggered something inside of him, something primal that had never existed before, and suddenly he concluded he never wanted to see that look ever again.

"There's nothing to tell," he reassured her gently, a rare tone he only utilized with her—of all people, he mused. "You chose to leave him and that past behind you."

She closed her eyes. She despised to admit it, but Wally's philosophy was sound. Cameron—and everything that had happened between them—was behind her now, and it wasn't wise to stare constantly behind your shoulder because sooner or later you _will_ plummet down a flight of stairs.

"Thank you…" she whispered as she opened her eyes to find him staring eagerly at her.

"And plus," his tone lightened, "now I have information to blackmail you with!"

The edges of Artemis's lips curled, and she let out a curt laugh.

"Not unless I tell everyone about your choice in underwear first," she retaliated, and Wally's eyes widened in challenge. "Are you sure you don't want me to ask Robin to have Bats autograph them for you?"

He opened and closed his mouth, and settled for crossing his arms in front of his chest and shaking his head. "I'm going to let you win this time only because you have a _boo-boo_."

She scoffed, and then pushed her covers forward and began to scoot her legs over the edge of the bed. This alarmed Wally, and he jerked upright. His hands instinctively darted out and almost grabbed her shoulders. She frowned quizzically at him and he paused, fingertips hovering inches away like an exclamation turned into a question mark.

"What are you doing?" he insisted, not even bothering to veil his frenetic tone.

Artemis glared at him, and when her telepathic drilling didn't slap him with an epiphany, she sighed and continued her careful exit off the bed.

"I've been comatose for nine hours, Wall of Stupid. Where do you _think_ I'm going?" She then jutted her chin at the bathroom door, and the aforementioned Wall of Stupid formed his mouth into a silent "oh" and averted his eyes as he hesitantly dropped his arms.

"Uh, you want some water, or anything?" he offered as a diversion.

"Um, sure," she responded over her shoulder as she opened the bathroom door, "that would be great. Thanks."

Wally left with a quivering of air molecules, and he zipped into the kitchen. He grabbed a glass from the cupboard and as it slowly filled with trickling water from the fridge dispenser, he released the reins on his thoughts, and they burst forth and galloped freely with the wild wind. They tossed their manes in gaiety, and pounded their hooves upon the solid earth.

For once in his life, he didn't care if the stars governing his birth-sign brought forth impulsive actions—saving Artemis, staying with her all night, and giving her the birthday present he had bought the morning after their fight—it was all worth it, and no regrets haunted him.

He removed the full glass from the dispenser, and as he gazed upon the reflection of the warm kitchen lights, another spontaneous idea sprang into his mind, and it joined his other sprinting thoughts in his mind's prairie.

Artemis had already settled back into her cozy cocoon of comforters when he returned. He handed her the water and she eagerly received it in both hands, practically inhaling its contents until her thirst was finally satiated.

She lowered the glass and noticed Wally was staring at her with an expectant expression, and a bubble of impatience emerged in her throat and swam upstream to her tongue. "What?"

"I was actually wondering if you'd like to spend Thanksgiving with me," Wally blurted out. "And my family. At our house. Just for dinner, I mean."

Artemis never prided herself in having an immensely cultivated English vocabulary, but she decided "flabbergasted" would be the appropriate term for her current frying-pan-in-the-face reaction.

"What?" she choked out. "Why? I mean, um, doesn't your family want to be… you know…alone, and, uh, stuff?" Articulacy in speech was always punted out the door when she became flustered.

"Well I figured… everyone has somewhere to go, you know? Even Superboy is going back to Mars with M'gann and J'onn, and well, you can't spend Thanksgiving _alone_."

"But I won't be alone," she feebly argued. "Wolf will be here, and Captain Marvel—or whoever our 'den-mother' is at the time."

"You're going to make Captain Marvel miss Thanksgiving so he can spend it babysitting you?"

"Uh, I guess you have a point…but I've never met your family and—"

"It'll be fun! My uncle will be there! You know him!"

"Uh, not really but—"

However, once again, Wally cut through her meek protests like a knife of logic through the butter of lame excuses.

"Arty, you _can't_ spend Thanksgiving alone. I know you don't really care much about holidays, but that's only because you've never _had_ a proper Thanksgiving dinner before. There's going to be a giant stuffed turkey, and mashed potatoes and gravy, and honey-roasted ham, and all sorts of pies…" His eyes glazed over as he almost lost himself in his food fantasy, but then they refocused on her. "Come on. You at least owe me a 'yes' after I saved your sorry butt."

"You saved…?" Her voice trailed off and mingled with her questioning eyes.

"Caught you after you blacked-out and fell off the catwalk." He waved his hand and shrugged a shoulder idly. "No big deal."

"You _always_ have to be the hero, don't you?" She teased, not bothering to disguise her affectionate smile.

"I couldn't just leave you to die," he justified casually, "not when I still have points to redeem."

"Spoken like a true gentleman," she snorted.

"So come on, let me show you how Thanksgiving is _really_ done."

Artemis almost half expected her room to morph into a desert balcony, with Wally floating on a vibrant magic carpet, his hand outstretched and asking for permission to grant her a whole new world. She looked at him with hesitant intrigue and finally metaphorically took his hand.

"Fine," she exhaled slowly. "I guess it would be…fun, or—"

"Great!" Wally interrupted in an abnormally loud voice. "I'll come get you Thursday evening at five then!" He spun around and headed for the door, his courage at inviting Artemis over to his house—his house! With his parents!—slithering away the longer he stared into her eyes.

"Hey Wally?"

He stopped in mid-stride and turned around to see Artemis cock her head and grin.

"Three points for you."

"What, so one for your present," he counted down on with his fingers, "another for saving your hide, and the third one for being amazing?" He flashed a smile.

"On my birthday it's earn-two-points-get-one-free," Artemis replied amusingly.

He laughed and continued to walk backwards out of the room, switching to a poor rendition of the moonwalk as he slid into the hallway. He was sure he heard Artemis let out a low chuckle as he closed the door, and he was also sure it was because she was laughing _at_ him and not with him, but that was okay, because at that present moment, all was right in the world.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **

Lolololol what are good endings X_x

"The zeta radiation proves she's alive! She's-!" – Quote from "Failsafe"

I know that you have to technically shave off someone's head in order to properly apply a bandage, but there was no way I would touch Artemis's beautiful golden locks. Also, I'm not going to go into the technical details of head trauma or comas, and whether or not Artemis's state of being was realistic or not. Let's just say I just don't want to deal with IV's and catheters, haha. Just enjoy the story!


	9. Solar System

**A/N:** I'm so sorry. Work and family life and blargh just get in the way. In addition, the winter hiatus ruined my muse and caused it to take an impromptu cruise to Hawaii or something. Muse is back now Also, this chapter is about 7k words, so it took a while to write.

**A few notes:** I'm going to assume Artemis _doesn't_ know Barry is The Flash—not that it's important in this chapter anyway, but just in case anyone is wondering.

Also, I began writing this before the new episodes aired, so the timeline isn't going to be canon anymore :\

Lastly, I'd like to extend a shout-out to my wonderful **YJ Fandom on Tumblr**, for suggesting the hilarious Charades-idea for Wally ;) My love for you all has no boundaries!

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice…or Mean Girls.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_**  
>IX. Solar System<strong>  
><em>The sun goes down<br>The stars come out  
>And all that counts<br>Is here and now  
>My universe will never be the same…<br>_"Glad You Came" – The Wanted

* * *

><p><strong>Mount Justice<br>****November 24, 16:30 EDT**

"_Fine. I guess it would be…fun, or—"_

"_Great! I'll come get you Thursday evening at five then!" _

Artemis stared at her reflection in the mirror, and ran her fingers through her uncooperative locks of blonde hair. It was Thursday, and exactly half an hour from her debut at the West residence. Awkward nervousness was an exile in her mind, but Murphy's Law dictated otherwise, as partly exemplified by her hair's current rebellious nature.

Her hair—known for normally resembling a glassy waterfall of golden luster—was currently _wavy_, due to an absentminded mistake on her part for failing to blow-dry it before retiring to bed last night. She looked like one of those girls who lived in the beige sand and salt waters of southern California, their hair forever kissed by the twirls of sea and wind—_not_ an impression she wanted to portray to Wally's family, or the general public.

She turned and gazed over her shoulder at the undulating river flowing down her back, and although her first reaction was to scoff in disdain, her feminine heart fluttered at just how _pretty_ her hair looked against the snowy backdrop of her downy sweater. She tilted her head down to almost kiss her shoulder, and a laugh erupted from her cherry lips—her reflection was practically _angelic_.

Without warning, there was a sudden blur of color behind her reflection. She spun around in a dizzying rush of adrenaline and immediately kicked her bathroom door closed.

"_Wally!_" She yelled, her frenetic voice ricocheting off the bathroom tiles. "_What are you doing here?_" Her fury rose, as did the flush in her cheeks. In the apparently annoyingly _incorrect_ assumption that Wally would not be present for another twenty-six minutes, Artemis had taken the liberty to delay outfitting her bottom-half with jeans.

She heard him laugh behind the door, and almost yanked it open to introduce Wally's face to her fist, but then remembered the reason the slab of wood was between them in the first place.

"Waiting for you, sweet-_cheeks_."

Artemis heard him snicker after his deliberate emphasis of the last word, and wondered if it would be considered bad karma to beat someone senseless on Thanksgiving Day.

"You said_ five!_" she shouted back.

"I got hungry," he responded, his voice followed by muffled crinkles of plastic and crunching noises. "My mom won't let me touch anything in the kitchen, so I came over here." He paused, and then added with deliberate slyness, "So, _black_, huh?"

"_I will kill you! I will put you in a blender and use your innards as stuffing for a turkey! And then I will feed that turkey to—"_

Wally snorted and turned to see a pair of jeans relaxing over the back of a chair. He grabbed them, opened the bathroom door, and before Artemis could react, threw them at her, muffling and ending her tirade.

"Thought you might need these if we're going out in public," he teased, and then yanked the door shut before she could transform the energy of her shocked glare into her fist.

"You are _minced meat_ when I put these on, Wally West!"

Wally snorted again and fell backwards onto her bed, relaxing in his three seconds of serenity before the bathroom door burst open to release a mythical creature from the depths of her fiery lair.

"_Minced meat!_" Artemis shrieked before lunging at her bed.

Her arms hit nothing but her covers, and she looked up to see Wally leaning against the frame of her doorway, casting an uninterested glance at his nails.

He looked up and stuck his tongue out at her."Have you ever considered being an underwear model?"

Artemis growled. She pushed herself off the bed and tore after the blur of obnoxious laughter. At that moment her personal satisfaction of beating up Wally was on a higher tier of importance than karma's retributions. The speedster zipped away, and Artemis followed him into the kitchen and living room. He paused long enough to grab another bag of chips, and she to slip on her coat and stomp forcefully into her boots.

"Apparently Victoria's secret isn't safe with you," Wally continued to goad with a smirk Artemis desperately wanted to smash into the back of his skull.

"_Microscopic_ minced meat!" Artemis snarled, and resumed chasing the bane of her existence, following his peals of laughter to the zeta-beams.

"You can't _mince_ what you can't _catch, lacey Princess_!" he shouted gleefully back, before dissolving in a flash of golden sparkles. "See you in Central!"

Everyone has psychological defense mechanisms that are activated upon unsure situations. Wally's simply was to turn his worries into jokes, and find the laughter amongst the awkward. Playing with Artemis's anger was definitely akin to signing his own death sentence, but he didn't know of a safer way to handle the image of her bare legs and black lace that didn't involve giving into his animalistic instincts.

Because candidly, that split-second glimpse of her in nothing but a soft sweater and black—Wally's mind coughed—made his heart tumble down to his diaphragm, and gave him the urge to run his fingers through the waves of spun-gold, down her back, and hook them onto the elastic of her—

His runaway imagination was swiftly derailed by the sudden crashing of Artemis's weight as she leapt onto his back. She ensnarled her arms around his neck and shoulders, and he choked in surprise and staggered backwards, his bag of chips diving to the sidewalk as his arms flew up to his neck in defense.

"You were _saying_?" Artemis hissed triumphantly into his ear.

To her surprise, Wally stopped struggling. He looked over his shoulder into her eyes and a sly grin spread across his lips. He swiftly hooked his arms around her legs, and Artemis's eyes twitched. _Oh f—!_

And suddenly, she was careening blindly through the streets of Central City while clasping onto the rocketing speedster. Memories of their amnestic moments in Bialya returned with the rushing wind, and she remembered how his unreal speed had delivered such an adrenaline rush, and how she had whispered in her mind-_Don't stop_-because danger suddenly became irrelevant next to the crown of breaking the sound barrier…

**Central City  
>November 24, 16:00 CDT<strong>

And just as in Bialya, the adrenaline rush was short-lived—_everything_ was short-lived once Kid Flash pressed the fast-forward button—and soon Wally slowed to halt in front of a charming two-story house with golden porch-lights and a rocking-chair beckoning for summer memories.

"Welcome," he pronounced as Artemis slid off his back, "to my humble home."

"And obviously _home_ of the humble," Artemis responded sarcastically, while concluding mincing Wally in front of his own house might not be wise. In addition, she was quite hungry; annihilating that red-headed bane of her existence would be easier if she at least acquired some energy for said extermination.

She dug through her coat pockets only to discover her phone and a random piece of gum, but nothing to tame her hair. Damn it all to hell, she thought as she roughly ran her fingers through her now-knotted hair and wincing. So much for the sun-kissed-beach image; now she just looked like some Neanderthal-wannabe who lost all understanding of how to use a hairbrush.

She clawed one last time through her tangles, and followed Wally up the porch stairs. Wally opened the front door for her (like the Forever Gentleman he is), and she stepped into what illustrated her every storybook dream for a cozy home. The walls were painted a soothing soft-beige, the furniture emitted invitations for relaxation through their neutral shades and burgundy accents, and everything was… _warm_. From a set of speakers somewhere in the house, classical music flowed through like breezes and further wrapped everything in calmness.

The sounds of cheerful voices and light clinking of plates trickled from beyond the living room, and after shrugging off her coat, Artemis joined Wally in walking towards the noises.

It was only then did she notice his apparel, and it was eye-catching—in a non-gaudy, _good_ way. He was wearing a long-sleeved black dress-shirt that still remained casual with his dark jeans, but seeing the jokester in anything with a classy collar was interest-piquing, to say the least, and visually inoffensive, to summarize in conclusion.

As they neared the voices, Artemis bit her lower lip and held her breath. She couldn't understand why she was so…_nervous_. It was actually slightly agitating, but she had no time for self-philosophy at the current moment.

"Hello!" called Wally as they rounded the corner into the dining room. "Dad, Uncle Barry, Aunt Iris, Jay, Joan… and I think my mom is in the kitchen. This is Artemis."

She gave a small smile and wave at the new faces, and felt certain she was going to forget everyone's names in about three seconds.

"Oh, _another_ Greek goddess!" Joan warmly took Artemis's hand in her own, and then winked. "The men in this family sure have a thing for Greek goddesses!"

Wally had just taken a sip of soda behind Joan, and upon hearing the older woman's comment, blanched and released a noise from that sounded like the unfortunate outcome of a blind-date between a strangled chicken and a sputtering flame.

Artemis merely pretended not to hear Joan's obvious allusion _and_ Wally's ungraceful loss of control over his bodily functions, and returned the smile after remembering to finally inhale. "It's very nice to meet you."

"Do I hear a new voice?" came an exclamation from the kitchen, followed by the appearance of a red-haired and green-eyed woman that could only be Wally's mother.

"Mrs. West—" Artemis began before the woman raised a hand and laughed.

"Oh, call me Mary!" She then added with an exasperated whisper, "When I hear 'Mrs. West', I think of my _interesting_ mother-in-law…"

"I _heard_ that!" called Wally's father from somewhere beyond the dining room.

Mary chuckled and rolled her eyes affectionately in the direction of her husband's voice.

"She is _quite_…the character, though," she whispered with a wink. "_Well_," she digressed as she raised her voice to a normal volume, "dinner's not going to be ready for a while, so Wally, why don't you show Artemis what Barry got you for your birthday last year?"

Wally lowered his soda and nodded. "_That_ wonderful gem."

He grabbed another soda can and tossed it to Artemis. She caught it gracefully, but was more than tempted to catapult it at his head after his next comment.

"Come along, Princess; let me show you my throne!"

* * *

><p>There was only one way Artemis could describe Wally's room: Nerdtopia.<p>

She peered at his collection of action figures and laughed. "You're a nerd, you know that?"

"Hey!" exclaimed Wally. "It was this _nerd_ that saved our butts against the Reds that one time they invaded-"

Artemis turned and narrowed her eyes at him.

"And you!" he quickly added. "You saved us too…"

She grinned and returned her gaze to his bookshelf overflowing with comics and what seemed to be college textbooks.

"Nice save," she snorted.

"Whatever," Wally scoffed, "_Black Swan._"

Artemis tilted her head. "Black…? _Oh_." She placed her soda down (it gave her a feeling of pride that she did not actually _slam_ it down) on his desk and jabbed a finger at him. "I'm still going to _annihilate_ you for that."

Wally merely laughed and jumped onto his bed. He relaxed onto his back and gestured to the space next to him, to which Artemis recoiled with an audible exclamation. He rolled his eyes and grabbed a sleek silver remote from his nightstand, pressed a series of buttons, and a blue holographic dome of iridescent constellations blinked to life above his bed. It floated lazily like a futuristic mobile, or a gigantic jellyfish revealing undiscovered fluorescent microbes under its silent umbrella.

"_Now_ will you join me?" he asked with his characteristic smug grin.

The lightning-blue glow drew Artemis forward like a moth to a lantern, and she slowly sank down onto the bed. She drew her knees to her, and then hesitantly, relaxed and shifted her weight until she was lying down next to him.

Wally pointed out a familiar grouping of stars, "There's Cetus—"

"—the duck with a really long neck and no bill," Artemis interrupted.

"It's _not_ a duck!"

"Says you, but not says me."

"Open sesame!"

Artemis slowly turned and regarded Wally with an expression of forced monotonous patience. "Sometimes I don't know why I hang out with you, Wally West," she sighed.

"_Be-e-_cause I show you pretty stars in the shape of a genetically mutated duck?"

Artemis laughed and turned back to the hologram, reaching out a finger to literally spin the heavens into a kaleidoscope of fireflies.

As Wally's eyes drifted away from her face to their artificial night-time wandering, something froze his gaze, and his inability to look away confused him until he realized what had caught his eye: it was a thin scar that slithered down her statuesque sternocleidomastoid, glowing under the blue holograms like an eerie creature from a midnight science-fiction jungle.

"Where's that from?" he blurted out spontaneously.

Artemis shifted her gaze to him, and the scar retreated into the shadows of the jungle.

"What's _what_ from?" she repeated, before pausing and suddenly casting her eyes downwards as she reached one hand to her neck in realization. "Oh, this…"

"I'm sorry. I, uh, didn't-" His eyes fluttered away.

"No it's okay. Um. It's actually why I broke up with Cameron—"

"He _hurt_ you?" Wally's voice lowered into a frightening tenor and he jerked his face back to her.

Artemis's eyes snapped up to meet his in alarm. He was so close; she could see the dark pupils in his eyes dance like black flames.

"Um, no," she replied quickly, "actually, not—not _directly_ at least."

She stopped, teetering at the edge of a symbolic cliff. She knew that one inch forward would cause her to slip into a whole new maze of rabbit-holes. All the cracks in the mirror she had built for her carefully synthesized reflection would zig-zag alive like lightning bolts in the wavering storm of her confessions.

But as she tip-toed and warily looked back, the force of Wally's fervid green eyes tipped her over the edge, and against better hind-sight sense, she sighed into the artificial celestial bodies floating above her, and let herself fall.

"Um, long story short, we were at a party together… and I caught him—" she scowled, remembering "—_cheating_, so I left the party early, by myself." She bit her lip and inhaled deeply. "I got attacked by a group of—" Her throat suddenly became parched, and she took the scratchy stings as a cue to open the parachutes.

"_But Dad, I was outnumbered!"_

"_You are a _disgrace_." _

Beside her, Wally remained silent. She could feel the hot bursts of his exhales against the tendrils of her hair and cheek, and was uncannily reminded of the conclusion to their sparring session last month.

"He's not worth it," he murmured.

Artemis slowly inched her face to the side, and the sliver of space between them _definitely_ pulled her mind through a sensory-rush reminiscent of _that_ moment after their spar. She fathomed playing connect-the-dots with the freckles that sprinkled across his face—the constellations that matched the soft glow from above, but unlike a hologram, these stars were _real_.

A single question floated through the murkiness of her thoughts, before evanescing like a tendril of vapor past her lips to softly brush against the stars on Wally's cheeks: _but are you?_

Suddenly, she remembered a distant conversation that had occurred with her mother the day after she received the Wayne Scholarship to Gotham Academy…

"Artemis, you can never rely on a man," her mother had told her sternly. "Girls your age fall in love with their Prince Charming, but sometimes that's all a mirage, and you end up like me—in a wheelchair and with a husband that would rather run away than face his responsibilities. I thought he loved me—he _did_ love me—but when I became a burden, he wanted to take out the trash…

You _have_ to learn to _never_ put your full trust in anyone but _yourself_. You _have_ to make it on your _own_ two feet, which is why going to Gotham Academy will be good for your future…"

She had dismissed her words then, focusing more on her silent lament of having to transfer schools, but as she recalled the previous months with the boy currently staring at her, those words drifted into her mind like a lone star gliding through the pitch-black sky, ensnaring her focus.

Wally sighed loudly, startling her. He had settled onto his back once more, and Artemis found herself staring at a blank sheet of unanswered thoughts.

"You know what I love best about stars?" Wally began. "They all appear the same from far away—but when you look closer—" he reached a hand to the constellation of Cetus and splayed his fingers, and suddenly they were flying through space until they paused to hover over an iridescent planet of orange "—you discover they're actually complete _worlds_."

Artemis slowly nodded, finding the metaphor strangely applicable.

"And check _this_ out," he continued excitedly.

He zoomed them away from Cetus, and tapped a code into the remote controller in his hand. Suddenly the dome was filled with a dozen moving comets, each lazily floating in circles around a glowing point of light. He pointed at one orbiting the Earth's sun in an elongated ellipse.

"That's Halley's Comet. It originated from the Oort Cloud, was flying it's merry little way through the solar system, before getting pulled into our sun's orbit."

"Our sun is quite the charmer then," Artemis murmured, shoving away all previous thoughts and returning them to an environment of mirth.

"The denser a body of mass, the stronger its gravitational pull," Wally explained.

"And that must be why I'm _so_ drawn to you!"

"I don't know _how_ many layers of sarcasm that contained."

"When am I _never_ sarcastic around you?"

A sudden knock on the door cut through Wally's retort teetering at the tip of his tongue.

"Wally? Artemis?" It was Barry.

"Yup!" Wally called back. "Come in!"

The door opened and Barry rested his arm against the doorframe, holding out a mug. "Dinner's ready!" He lifted the mug to his lips and took a long sip, before beckoning them. "Also, eggnog!"

He lifted himself off the doorframe, but then leaned back with an amusing afterthought. "Can I get you guys anything? Some snacks? A c—"

Wally, fortunately, recognized the movie his Uncle was in the process of embarrassingly quoting, and jumped off the bed with a very loud exclamation of protest.

"_Okay then!_" He practically shouted, drowning away Barry's next word, "Let's go eat!"

On their way down the stairs, Barry pointed at a framed picture of toddler-Wally's graduation from kindergarten. Mary was kneeling beside him with a thousand-kilowatt beam, while Wally seemed adorably confused at the attention.

"He was cute, huh," Barry commented.

Wally gawked at the use of past-tense, and was on the brink of disputing when Artemis laughed and agreed with Barry.

"I know right. So what happened?" she quipped.

"I upgraded from cute to flawless, of course," Wally riposted with saturated charm, and then slid smoothly down the banister…only to skid into the opposite wall with an echoing thud and "I'm alright! It's all good! _All_ under control!"

Artemis and Barry exchanged looks of unimpressed exasperation.

"So much for an _upgrade_," Artemis sighed.

* * *

><p>Mary ushered them all into the dining room, and proudly announced: "May I present to you: Thanksgiving Dinner, West style!"<p>

There was no awed exclamation in the English language properly-suited to describe the cornucopia of colorful dishes before them—other than maybe a bucket of growling stomachs and drool. There was butternut squash-cheddar gratin with rosemary breadcrumbs, green beans with caramelized shallots, fluffy mashed potatoes, steaming dinner rolls, spirals of honey-roasted ham, cheesy lasagna, sweet potato casserole—all circling around the center stage of a golden-brown turkey, still crisping from its perfection in the oven, and wafting swirls of irresistible invitation.

Artemis peeked over to assess Wally's condition, but in his place was simply a quivering sheet of air molecules as he zoomed into his chair, tongue lolling and reminding her of Finnegan the Corgi. She rolled her eyes and, after looking around to see which chairs would be occupied, took the seat next to him. Then, without any further ado, Wally metaphorically—and quite literally with his fork-dove into paradise.

* * *

><p>"Oh, Artemis—"<p>

Artemis looked up from her plate to see Mary's convivial smile across the table, and briefly caught the flicker of anticipated jollity in her green eyes.

"—let me tell you a _hilarious_ story about Wally here."

Wally jerked his eyes up from his plate, horrified. "_Mo-o-m!_" he hissed exasperatedly. "Wh-y-y?"

"Because it's my maternal duty to embarrass you in front of every girl you bring home, be they girlfriends or girls who are just friends."

Wally's eyes widened. "This is _so_ not fa—"

She cut him off and turned back to Artemis, and animatedly began: "When Wally was six—or seven? I can't quite remember—he had this little kiddy laptop that had all these educational games on it. You couldn't pry him away from it!"

Wally groaned, clearly recollecting the specific fiasco.

Mary continued: "It had to be constantly plugged into an electrical socket for power, and one afternoon, Wally took the laptop upstairs to the hallway to play. However, apparently the socket was loose, so the plug kept falling out—"

"_It kept restarting my game_," Wally grumbled into his mashed potatoes.

"Well, Wally here was already _such_ a genius back then, so he decided that he was going to fix the problem with _super-glue_."

Artemis let out a low chuckle, which granted her an irked nudge from Wally's elbow.

"He took the bottle, and _squeezed_ it all over the plug—" Mary dramatically mimicked the motion with her hands, "—_and_ also squeezed a good helping to the edges of the socket as well."

"It _worked_," Wally interjected.

"Yes, dear, until you finished your game and went to unplug it!"

Artemis raised an eyebrow at Wally, who sulked even further into his chair.

Mary continued grinning. "So he _tugged_ and _tugged_, but to no avail, until he finally put his feet up against the wall, and pulled with _all_ his six-year-old body weight, until the socket _finally_ gave in and—" She dissolved into laughter and had to pause for a few seconds to regain her motherly-talent of further embarrassing her son. "I heard a loud _thump_, and ran upstairs, only to find that not only did he manage to pull the plug out, but also the _entire electrical socket_."

Artemis snorted and turned her full attention to the disconcerted boy beside her. "You pulled the _entire_ thing out?"

"_So there he was_," Mary continued louder between her chuckles, "rubbing the back of his head with one hand, dangling the electrical socket and all its little wires in the other, and all the while staring with horrified eyes at the gaping hole in the wall across from him!"

Everyone on the table joined in on the merry laughter, except for the pouting main character.

"Still not fair," he mumbled. "I was _six_."

"Once a klutz, _always_ a klutz," Artemis teased, raising her glass of apple cider to toast him.

Mary casted a sideways glance at her husband, which he returned her approving look with a brief upwards twitch of his lips.

* * *

><p>To Artemis's relieved surprise, the entire dinner passed without a single personal question directed at her. She suspected Wally and his big mouth had already divulged all facts known about her. The current conversations mainly revolved around some recent cases Iris had to report, which lead to a few discussions on current events that Artemis voluntarily opted out of. It wasn't because she had no informed opinions to give; she just didn't feel comfortable intruding her thoughts on a family she literally had just met.<p>

When Artemis felt she could not even bear to see another image vaguely resembling anything edible, Mary and Iris cleared the main courses and presented them all with dessert: the mother-load of pies—pecan pie, pumpkin pie, apple pie, peach pie, berry pie—every pie with the exception of 3.14. Artemis watched with amazement—when in truth she should be quite accustomed to this program—as Wally took a slice of each, along with a good slathering of whipped cream and vanilla ice-cream.

"Are you _ever_ full?" she mocked him lightly.

"Full of _awesome!_" he returned with a large grin, before chomping down on a forkful of pie to revisit the land of scrumptious bliss. "Glucose," he added pointedly after swallowing, "is fuel for the brain."

Artemis raised an eyebrow at her own slice of pumpkin pie. "In that case," she returned flatly without glancing from her plate, "you should probably go eat an entire sugar cane factory."

From down the table, Barry nearly choked mid-snort. "And _zing_."

* * *

><p>Before clearing the dishes, Mary announced that they <em>must<em> play at least _one_ round of Charades first. It was a family tradition! It prevents the brain from shutting down after such a feast!

Wally groaned and slouched into his seat. "But I can't _mo-o-ove_," he protested.

"Girls versus guys," his mother suggested.

At the proposal, Wally straightened and his expression flitted from one in a stupor to bright animation.

"Well in _that_ case," he nudged Artemis, "prepare to be smoked!" He pushed himself off the chair and went to give his uncle a fist-bump.

Artemis hesitantly stood up, and Joan linked arms with her on their way to the living room.

"Honey, have you ever played Charades?" she asked the obviously panicked girl.

"Um, no not—"

Joan shooed her answer away with a flick of her wrist. "Oh don't worry; it's _easy_. You basically have to act out whatever the card says, but you can't speak, and your team has sixty-seconds to guess the word on the card!"

Artemis's chest tightened at the phrase "act out". Acting _really_ wasn't her strong suit; actually it was more of a wet-paper bag than a suit…

Joan gave her a reassuring pat on the hand. "It's extremely fun, dear. Here, I'll go first to show you how it's done."

The two teams separated themselves onto the long couches in the living room, and Mary fished out a stack of colorful cards and miniature hourglass from a side-table.

"Now," she began, shuffling the cards on the coffee table, "which team wants to—"

Joan's hand shot into the air. "I volunteer!"

Mary chuckled, and handed the cards to Jay. "You better choose something hilarious."

He smiled and winked. "I don't think I'll be able to find her _own_ name in here."

"I'll take that as a compliment!" His wife replied merrily, before walking over to her husband to see what word he had chosen for her to act out. "Easy peasy lemon squeezy," she commented upon viewing it.

Jay leaned forward and his hand hovered over the hourglass. "Ready when you are."

His wife walked to the front of the room and smoothed her shirt in a dramatically dignified manner. "Oh, I was born ready!" she exclaimed with excited ambition.

Jay flipped the hourglass over, and Joan began. She looked around suspiciously, and started snatching invisible objects into her arms.

"A hungry squirrel!" Mary yelled, which earned a snort from Joan.

"Thief!" Iris suggested, and Joan nodded in her direction, but waved her hands to coax another answer from her. "Um," she pondered, "Burglar?"

Joan shook her head and changed tactics. She mimed someone going mentally crazy, which earned a hearty handful of laughs, and then returned to snatching things from invisible tables and shelves.

And suddenly Artemis put the two together and sat up. "Oh! Kleptomaniac!" she shouted.

Joan threw her arms into the air and cheered. "Plus-one for the girls! Way to go, Goddess of the Hunt!"

"I'm next!" Wally called out, and tossed the stack of cards to Artemis. "Don't disappoint me," he teased.

Artemis smirked at him in response, and began flipping through the cards. As payback of his room intrusion earlier that evening, this was her chance to embarrass him even more than Mary's dinner-time story. Fortunately, Karma was definitely on the side of the avengers, and she didn't have to search far. She waved him over and cupped the card in her hand, and Wally's expression instantaneously flopped from an eyebrow raise of bemused anticipation to a grumble of absolute resentment.

"Don't disappoint me," Artemis mimicked, her voice oozing with sarcastic victory.

Wally snorted and made a theatrical show of loosening his shoulders and cracking his neck as he deliberately shuffled to the front of the room at a snail's pace. Artemis blinked at him with boredom and loudly flipped the timer.

Wally began by taking a few calculated steps back, and then darted across the room, only to teeter backwards as he smacked into an invisible—

"_Wall!_" yelled every member of the Boy's Team in unison.

And then Artemis laughed so hard she almost forgot how to breathe.

Mary went after her son, and the Girl's Team nearly ran out of time in their hilarious attempts to guess "Belligerent Drunk".

"Drinking!"

"You're drunk!"

"Bar fight?"

"PMS!" screamed Joan, and both teams dissolved into raucous laughter.

Following a side-splitting performance by Jay in an attempt to act out "Plastic Surgery", Joan motioned to Artemis that it was her turn, and handed the cards to Wally.

To Artemis's astonishment, the anxiety that had prevailed the entire evening like a continuous bass hum had completely disappeared. Somewhere between the laughter, delicious food, jovial jokes, and yelling of far-fetched phrases, she had finally abandoned the final vestige of her insecurity, and replaced it with simply a twirling air of _fun_. Never before in her life had she experienced this sense of spontaneous blithe with a family, and certainly not with _her_ family. It was new, exhilarating and relaxing at the same time, and she was completely enjoying herself.

Wally snickered as he held a card in his hand, and she inwardly grumbled. _Great. It's probably something like… 'Unclogging Toilet' or 'Changing a Baby's Explosive Diaper'._ She was expecting all sorts of outlandish phrases, but none of them came close to the word in his hand: _Cupid_.

She slowly lifted her eyes and met Wally's in disbelief, but he simply smirked and handed her the card.

"Don't disappoint me," he echoed, turning the hourglass over.

Artemis scoffed at him and stepped to the front of the room. She embarked on her adventure for the next Oscar's Award by pretending to notch an arrow to an invisible bow, and with her form so streamlined and precise, Wally could practically envision her dark green compound bow and sleek arrows. To his surprise, she turned to him and released the imaginary arrow straight at his chest. He dramatically brought his hand to his tingling wound and flopped back into the couch. Artemis laughed silently at his performance, and notched another arrow, this time aiming at the wall to her right. She let the arrow fly, and switched roles from archer to a common civilian taking a nice evening stroll, when she suddenly gasped and coughed. A lighthearted smile replaced her frightened features, and her eyes locked adoringly onto Wally's. She rushed over to sit in front of the coffee table, propped up her elbows, and cradled her head while slowly fluttering her eyelashes at him.

And that's when Wally realized the _silence_—specifically, the _absence of any guesses._ He looked alarmingly at his family, and to his added bewilderment, they were simply regarding the two with wordless enjoyment. He lurched forward for the hourglass and waved it in front of his mother's transfixed stare.

"_Ten more seconds_," he warned.

Mary chuckled and pushed the hour-glass away. "We all knew the phrase was 'Cupid'. We were just enjoying the show!"

Wally's lips went into a glowering line and his cheeks flushed to a dainty pink color. He heard laughter, and turned to see Artemis leaning back and giggling like the heartless mad-woman he concluded she was.

"I don't like this impromptu Pick-On-Wally-Day," he grumbled as he handed the cards over to the other team.

Artemis returned from center-stage and plopped herself down next to him. "Karma must _really_ hate you."

"Whatever, _Cupid_," he countered. "At least now you have some feathery wings to go with—"

He was cut off with sharp jab of Artemis's elbow, and a grey-eyed-glare meant for causing forests to self-combust.

As the evening progressed, the two teams raced neck-to-neck and were in a full-blown tie at the end. Since the ladies commenced, the Boy's Team would be the one to finish the competition with a bang and some fireworks. They would bring home the crowns of the Charade-Kings if they correctly guess Wally's word.

Artemis definitely did _not_ feel the pressure as she shuffled through the cards. "Batman" seemed to be a tough one to imitate correctly, right? There was only _so_ much brooding and butt-kicking one could perform silently.

Wally glanced at the card and immediately snorted. "Oh man I really wish Robs could see this."

"No need to subject him to inhumane torture," she returned swiftly.

"Aren't you _hilarious_ when you're about to lose."

Artemis shot him one last challenging glare, and snatched the hourglass from the table. As soon as she turned it over, Wally coolly grabbed a blanket from the back of the sofa, swished it around his shoulders, and glowered coldly at Barry and Jay.

Both men's eyes sparked in recognition and they instantaneously shouted, "Batman!"

Wally threw off the blanket and fist-pumped triumphantly in the air. "Guys win!"

"Oh hold on!" Artemis objected. "You cheated! _No props!_"

"Ex-_actly!_" Joan concurred zealously, rising to her feet.

A tussle soon followed over rules and points and nit-picking of other miniscule details, and would have continued all evening if Mary didn't clap her hands and insist that bottom-line, _she_ still wore the permanent crown, and the Queen of the House declares a clean-up!

* * *

><p>Wally had obstinately insisted on walking Artemis back to the zeta-beam. He casually joked about needing the exercise to keep his stunning figure, but she was the only one who caught him fleetingly glance at her neck. After a chorus of gratitude's and farewells, and warm embraces from Mary and Joan, Artemis and Wally made their way back outside while hugging mugs of hot chocolate-for the road, Mary had insisted.<p>

"I still say you cheated," Artemis argued, as they walked along the silent streets. The moon overhead glowed lazily through thin clouds like a cotton ball in the middle of black velvet.

"And I say you're just being a sore loser," Wally countered, refusing to relinquish as usual.

Artemis scoffed in response, and silently sipped her hot cocoa.

"So, have you been Picasso-ing it up lately?" Wally asked, referring to her birthday present.

"I already _told_ you," she replied with mock impatience, "I'm sketching a picture of me beating the crap out of you with my bow."

"Stick figures?"

"You doubt my abilities."

"All the time."

"And I'm pretty sure I've been proving you wrong every single time."

"And I'm pretty sure your ego is way bigger than mine."

Artemis scoffed and muttered something under her breath that followed the same structural organization of their current argument, but with a few different choice words. Even so, Wally recognized her meaning and snorted.

"I'll be sure to kick you _there_ next time then!"

"_Careful_," Artemis retorted in a forced mellow tone, "don't disturb the _partying termites._"

She managed to glance at him briefly before both exploded into laughter that jangled like bells through the quiescent neighborhood.

"You're-_evil!_" Wally managed to choke out between staggered laughs.

Artemis pitched forward and nearly spilled her hot chocolate. "So," she breathed out finally, "on a scale of tomato to hot-sauce, how red did you turn?"

Wally grimaced. "I slammed my head onto my desk…" he mumbled begrudgingly.

The archer let out a hoot of laughter. "I can inflict pain on you even when I'm not physically there? Oh, that's just _too_ perfect."

"And how does that make you feel, _Miss_," responded Wally in a faux-pompous tone, "to be the source of an innocent boy's torment?"

"Like the _luckiest_ girl in the world, actually, _Sir_," Artemis returned with mirrored pizzazz.

Her lighthearted comment was followed by a very placid pause as the two strolled along in the developing comfort of each other's company. They sipped their warm drinks and allowed the calm night to settle around them like the snow that was about to come.

"I'm glad I joined the Team," Artemis professed as she slowly moved her finished cup of cocoa away from her lips.

Wally remained quiet and looked up at the tiny diamonds embedded in the black velvet above. In his mind, he saw Halley's Comet throwing behind the need to pretend in a flare of stardust as it drew closer to the sun.

"Me too," he finally murmured. _In both ways…_

There was another steady break in conversation, and their voices were exchanged for the rhythmic tapping and scrapes of shoes against concrete. Artemis watched as their shadows cast by the streetlamps fanned out before disappearing and reappearing in a hypnotizing swing dance. As a child she would pretend the elongating and shrinking shadows were time rewinding and fast-forwarding her return to a baby, or her growth into an adult. It was a ridiculous notion; she would never want to return to her past. It was best left as a shadow that fades in the morning.

The pair stopped in front of the zeta-beam (humorously disguised as an out-of-order Port-A-Potty—blame Barry) and turned to face each other.

"Thanks," began Artemis, who found herself suddenly enthralled with the empty mug in her hand. "And I guess, plus-one for an amazing Thanksgiving dinner," she added._ For my _first_ Thanksgiving dinner. _

"Hmm, I think I'll pass that one onto my mom," Wally replied.

She looked up and found dark emerald orbs glowing back with mirth. She was amazed he would decline the offer of something he had so enthusiastically coveted in the past months, but she was equally as astonished at how readily she understood his obvious reasoning.

Wally took a step closer. He suddenly felt like a comet pulled from orbit, drawn to the gravity of Artemis's eyes. It wasn't the infinite darkness that allured him, nor was it the framing long lashes; it was the manner in which she gazed up at him in the same inquisitive way she looked at the stars…

Suddenly Artemis coughed and her eyes darted away. She raised her empty mug between them and stepped sideways towards the door of the zeta-beam. Wally slowly took the mug in his hand and silently watched her.

"Um, thank you," she exhaled, her hand on the door, "once again. For inviting me, and—" she blinked and the edges of her lips twitched upwards on their own accord, "-everything."

With one last backwards glance, she slipped inside, and in a flash of gold, left Wally with two empty mugs, and a bizarre longing in his heart.

He pursed his lips and let out a small laugh. It actually surprised him she didn't try to attack him in revenge for—

His phone buzzed, and he shifted both mugs to one hand and dug out his phone from his pocket. It was a text from Artemis, and Wally smirked as he read it. Maybe _had_ spoken too soon.

"I will still annihilate you."

* * *

><p><strong>Mount Justice<br>****November 24, 23:40 EDT**

As Artemis blow-dried her hair later that night, her mind couldn't resist comparing the vast differences between her life and Wally's. His family was like the perfect packaged stationary—the type with hollies and vine-flourishes used for writing hearty Christmas letters to friends. Her family—if you could call it that—was a crumpled newspaper with too many words and not enough pictures, and torn through the columns, taped in others, and crinkled from evaporated tears. He had a past of smiles and balloons and cotton candy; she had a past of things she would rather forget.

She turned off the blow-dryer and stared at the sink with unblinking eyes. She would never truly belong in such a world as wholesome as Wally's; she was the wayward broken sliver of glass that somehow found its way inside a bouquet of lilies.

She wondered if Halley's Comet regretted that it even though it was drawn towards the sun's gravity, it would never be able to truly be next to the everlasting star.

* * *

><p><strong>Central City<br>****November 24, 22:40 CDT**

If Wally turned his face at a certain angle, and inhaled at a certain rate, he could still recognize the lingering scent of Artemis on his pillow. It smelled like lavender and some nameless spring flower, mixed with a calming spice that both sedated and thrilled Wally's mind. And with every breath, his thoughts were pulled further down into the orbit of dreams he didn't even realize he had wished for.

* * *

><p>"Barry, why are you still awake?"<p>

"Texting Ollie."

"What's so important that can't wait until morning?"

"Telling him that his quote-unquote 'niece' and my nephew are totally going to get together by summer."

Iris rolled her eyes and groaned. The light from Barry's phone darkened, but just as he was about to wrap an arm around Iris, his phone lit up and released an obnoxious buzz. He grabbed it, squinted into the screen, and released an explosion of laughter.

"He wants to bet on it! He says April! Ha! Old man you are _on!_"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Thank you once again, for all your reviews! **I try to reply to each one** :) (With the obvious exception of Anonymous ones. I've turned them back on again though.)

Also, you can find me on **Tumblr** under the name **Jncera**, where I post **random Spitfire drabbles** that don't get published on FFnet (you can view them by clicking "My Writings on Tumblr" on my blog's header-thing).

Thank you for being awesome, my beautiful reader!

P.S. I love Barry and Joan XD


	10. Rationality

Disclaimers: I do not own Young Justice, and although I have a Bachelor's of Science in Microbiology and am currently doing research, **I am in no way an expert on genetics**…so therefore, please don't hold me accountable for any ambiguity you find.

**A/N:** _A Lingering Feeling's_ universe will continue as if "**Usual Suspects**" never happened.

Also, just a reminder I started this story **without knowing** **Artemis's actual eye color**, so I made the assumption they were **grey**, but with a **blue** tint to them. Genetically, this phenomenon would be called… well, let's just have Wally explain it :)

* * *

><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_  
><strong>X. Rationality<strong>  
><em>The best scientist is open to experience, and begins with romance—the idea that anything is possible.<em>  
>- Ray Bradbury<p>

* * *

><p><strong>Mount Justice<br>December 10, 13:00 EDT**

_Have a holly jolly Christmas; it's the best time of the year!_

Artemis tightly shut her eyes and leaned back into her chair until her head dangled precariously over the edge.

"Make it _sto-o-o-p_," she groaned.

It was going to be M'gann's first Christmas, and she had decorated the entire Cave into the love-child of The Nutcracker ballet and Santa Claus's winter wonderland, and routed the special holiday into every sensory pathway in existence. There was tinsel, ribbon, paper snowflakes, fake snow, and glittering lights for one's optic nerves; smells of gingerbread cookies and pine needles for the olfactory bulbs; peppermint brownies and hot chocolate for tingling taste buds; fuzzy faux-fur throws over the couches for fingers and toes; and the never-ending-always-looping-on-replay holiday music swirling and dancing through the hallways.

Artemis didn't want to seem like a Scrooge, but ten days straight of constantly hearing about jingle bells and magical snowmen was already enough to make her feel like she was trapped in an overly-cheery department store.

_Oh ho the mistletoe hung where you can see; somebody waits for you; kiss her once for me!_

She gathered her laptop and notebook and stood up. There _had to_ be an area in the Cave impenetrable to sound, and where she could finish this dreaded history essay in peace—and _not_ the heavenly type those incessant carolers wished you to sleep in.

Upon exiting her room, she was immediately greeted with a wall of rustling pine needles.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed, backing away from the dark-green porcupine.

"Oh, sorry Artemis!" floated M'gann's chirpy voice from beyond the sea of emerald. The tree floated away to reveal the rosy-cheeked Martian and Zatanna, trailed by a visibly befuddled Superboy.

"Um, so what's the tree for again," he mumbled, following the two girls and said floating-tree down the hall.

"Well, Conner," M'gann began with soothing patience, "it's because evergreens—just like this one-symbolized—"

But with the help of her ninja-skills and the jingling Christmas music overhead, Artemis had already disappeared beyond ear-shot before she could hear another word of M'gann's Christmas 101.

There was one place she had in mind—one sanctuary that could possibly possess even the _slightest_ sound-proof quality—the library lying beyond the currently opening doors before her.

But as soon as she saw him, echoes of a conversation she had tried so hard to shut away sliced through her mind.

_Are you _that_ freaked out about Arrow joining the team you had to prove yourself by bringing down the bad guys solo? _Please_ tell me I'm wrong… Well, _nice going._ What you _proved_ is that you're _insecure_, and _selfish_…_

Artemis had wanted to tell him everything right there and then because the anger and betrayal in his eyes and voice had cut through her with more pain than a physical knife. Wally had been nothing but honest with her for the past few months, and she had slowly allowed herself to open her past emotional cicatrices one by one. She was planning on spilling every last secret to him—who her father and sister are, who her mother was—but not then; not in front of the accompanying Team. Only _Wally_ had earned her fragile trust.

And in return she had shattered his confidence in _her_; heard its pieces resonate at her feet with Cheshire's sai.

So as the door slid open to reveal the rows of shelves and tables, she was about to spin around and return to wallowing in self-pity and _oh by golly's_.

But just then, Wally looked up from his fan of papers and books and leaned back into his chair with a grin.

"I was wondering when the music would drive you nuts," he teased in his own way of greeting her.

Truthfully, he was glad to see Artemis. His past resentment towards her deceit during their last mission had long dissipated, and had been replaced by a gnawing sense of…_emptiness_. He would be lying to himself if he said he didn't miss talking to her.

"It's almost as worse as you," Artemis replied in the same tone. She paused, and then walked down the stairs to Wally's table after deciding upon the lesser of the two evils. The door slid shut behind her, and finally—_delightfully_—she was able to savor the silence.

However, right as she sat down across from him, Wally unleashed an _extremely_ classy and dignified burp. Artemis grimaced, but her optimistic angel whispered to her that at least his belch didn't bubble into a holiday tune.

Wally shook the soda can in his hand, and upon discovering the unfortunate absence of any sloshing noises, leaned back in his chair again and launched it smoothly into a nearby waste-basket.

"And the crowd goes wild!" he dramatically cheered for himself. He sent a silly grin to Artemis, who merely rolled her eyes as she opened her laptop.

"And the crowd goes wild searching for _tomatoes_ to throw at you!" she quipped in return.

Wally's grin quickly turned upside down.

"But they miss and hit the blonde girl instead!" he swiftly riposted.

"Who launches them at Wally!"

Wally laughed, and raised his arms to mime a back-handed swing with an invisible tennis racket. Artemis dodged the imaginary onslaught of tomatoes, and looked over her shoulder with exaggerated terror.

"Oh no! You seem to have plastered _Batman_ with tomato juice!" She widened her eyes and then nodded advisedly at him. "You should _probably_ run away," she whispered coolly.

Wally flicked his wrist and "threw" away the racket, and while maintaining a comically innocent expression, pointed a swift finger at Artemis. The archer, however, had already channeled her focus to rereading the beginning of her essay, and her scowl was directed at the haphazard hash of supposedly coherent words. Sometimes she wished there was a law that allowed secret vigilantes the opportunity to opt out of the public—and scholarship-funded-private—school system, because sometimes it was difficult to concentrate on past world wars when one was busy preventing current apocalypses.

"What are you working on?" Artemis asked without pausing in her typing.

"Genetics," answered the busily writing speedster.

"Punnett Squares?"

"Actually, yes."

"_Big b; little b_," Artemis sighed in sing-song boring tone.

"Incomplete dominance, co-dominance, pedigree charts, epistasis…" Wally flipped through his notes and read off each topic. "_Way_ more interesting than your regular pea-plants."

Artemis couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and look up from her screen.

"They're teaching you _that_ in your sophomore year?" There was a tinge of awe in her voice—something Wally caught with a broadening of his chest.

"College course," he replied, unable to keep the proud from infiltrating his voice and expression.

Artemis paused, and then a question blurted from her mouth before her brain had the opportunity to filter it.

"So, how is it that I have _blonde_ hair?"

The question caught Wally off-guard, and he remained silent for a few seconds before he could reply. But science was his forté; his territory, and the words flowed naturally like water pouring from a cup.

"Well, it's because both your parents are carriers of the recessive allele for blonde hair."

Artemis tilted her head slightly down to focus her gaze on him.

"But my mom's…full Asian," she stated, doubt mingling between the words.

"Right," Wally responded with confidence. "And I'm assuming your father isn't though? But even if he was," he continued without waiting for her answer, "recessive genotypes are still able to be passed down generations before expressing. For example, there are some full Asians with blonde hair in Mongolia. All you need is for two silent carriers to have a child with statistics on their side. And you probably also wonder about your eye color?"

Artemis slowly opened her mouth, but Wally began once more without waiting for a response. With a spark of humor, she could tell he was _definitely_ in the science zone.

"Well," he began fervently, "eye color is actually much more complicated than hair color as more than one gene can influence it—up to sixteen, according to current data. Sometimes the genes coding for eye color and hair color are in loci that are so close on their respective alleles they get passed on together during the recombination step of meiosis. For example," he paused and gestured to himself, "red hair and gorgeous green eyes like those of yours truly. Same thing for blonde hair and blue eyes. But of course these recessive alleles can be repressed by dominant phenotypes, like brown hair and eyes. But _your_ eye color…" his voice trailed off as he looked into Artemis's eyes—those mesmerizing orbs encompassing the line between calm sky and rough seas. She blinked, and the sudden break snapped Wally back.

He cleared his throat and continued, "Your eye color is probably due to central heterochromia, which describes irises that have two or more colors from differences in melanin distribution. So therefore, the alleles coding for blue is probably your original genotype, and the grey is a result of changes in melanin concentration throughout your iris."

"Hold on," Artemis interjected and leaned forward with a raised finger. "I always thought grey eyes are the result of higher deposits of collagen in the stroma, which causes Mie scattering rather than Rayleigh scattering of light, kind of like—"

"—how the sky appears blue during clear days, and grey during rainy days," Wally finished.

Artemis tilted her head slightly to the side and the edges of her lips curled upwards. Wally was the first person she had met who could finish her more scientifically-inclined sentences like that—the first person she didn't have to worry about intimidating because of her intelligence.

"Both, I think," Wally continued with a nod. "Along with collagen, the location of melanin—whether it's in the front or back layer of the iris—can determine the _shade_ of grey, or blue."

"Right, but no one really understands the genetic factors behind those," Artemis tagged on. "It's not a simple matter of big b, little b."

This time, Wally grinned.

"But it's still fun to play with."

Artemis raised an eyebrow, and in response, Wally reached across the table for her notebook and flipped to a fresh page.

"Say you and _Roy_ were going to have a _kid_—"

The archer visibly blanched and shot Wally a coal-burning glare.

"_What?_" She reached over to swat the pen out of his hand but he leaned away with a laugh.

"Oh come on, just for shits and giggles and science!"

Artemis grumbled irritably but looked down at the table Wally was merrily drawing on her notebook. It was a Punnett Square, and beside it he had written:

_Artemis: bbGg  
>Roy: rrgg<em>

"So can I _punch_ you in the _face_ for shits and giggles and science?" she snarled.

Wally deliberately ignored her and began explaining what alleles each letter represented, "So the little b's represent your blonde hair—a homozygous recessive trait. Same with the little r's, which is Roy's red hair. I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume the genotype for your eye color is heterozygous, with grey being dominant over blue, and—"

"Roy has _blue eyes?_" Artemis interrupted, clearly surprised.

Now it was Wally's turn to nearly choke. He stared off to the side and mentally stumbled over a few words, before deciding honest admittance was the way to go, and hopefully Batman wouldn't make a meal out of his big mouth.

"Like beautiful sapphires," he crooned.

Artemis just rolled her eyes.

"Oh, what a _hunk_."

"So, your kids will be obviously getting their looks from _him_."

"Desire to _punch you_ is still _strong!_" Artemis growled through gritted teeth.

Wally ignored her and finished the Punnett Square, and spun the notebook on the table so she could read the results.

"So they're all going to have blonde hair, with half of them with grey eyes and the other half with blue eyes," she interpreted in a dull voice. She looked back at Wally and raised an eyebrow. "And _what_ am I supposed to do with this anyhow? Prance around Roy and fangirl over all the beautiful babies he could _beget_ with me?"

Wally leaned back and laughed.

"I'd pay good money to see that…"

Artemis picked up the notebook and took a swing at him with it, which he expertly ducked away from. She held onto the notebook however, and busied herself with carving out a Punnett Square of her own. Her star-crossed lab rats?

"_Dude_," Wally choked, "me and _Robs?_"

"Oh come on, just for shits and giggles and science!" Artemis echoed in her best imitation of his voice.

"You don't even know Rob's eye color," Wally huffed.

"They're blue," Artemis answered nonchalantly without glancing from the paper. "Like, deep sea blue."

There was a stretch of silence, and she slowly raised her eyes to take in the sight of a flabbergasted speedster staring wordlessly at her.

"How did—" he began cautiously.

"It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together," Artemis explained, shrugging and returning to the Punnett Square. "We do, after all, hang out together five days out of the week." She looked up and gave a satisfied tilt of her head. "He knows though, and we laughed about it."

She whirled the notebook around and Wally peered at the outcomes.

"Black hair with blue-green eyes?" he acknowledged smugly. "We'd definitely give your kids with Roy a run for their money at the beauty pageant."

Artemis emitted a hybrid between an exasperated groan and an even more exasperated sigh. Wally took the notebook from her again, and drew another square, this time for M'gann and Conner. She looked on intriguingly, and for the next few minutes, they managed to predict the phenotypes of all the different pairs in the Team. Artemis finally yanked the notebook from the apparent reincarnation of Bill Nye the Science Guy and proclaimed she was going to have to burn the pages or the Team members would surely throw them into an insane asylum.

The sounds of keyboard tapping and shuffling papers soon settled comfortably around them with the scent of thousands of bound pages in mahogany shelves. After an hour, Artemis stood up and announced her need to find a certain book because she was aggravated with "those irritating fake sources" on the internet. Wally nodded without looking up, and heard her footsteps disappear into the forest of bookshelves.

Wally was truly thankful he was drawing his lab report figures in pencil first, because the sudden scream from Artemis caused a very thick line of lead to traverse the length of the paper as he practically flew off his chair.

"_Artemis!_" he called out, racing from shelf to shelf, his adrenaline freefalling in sickening plunges as he imagined every possible scenario with every possible villain and—

He nearly crashed into a bookcase when he saw her at the end of an aisle, standing on a stool and flattening her back against a shelf as her wide eyes locked onto something across from her. Wally ran over, ready to fight and defend, when his gaze fell onto Artemis's supposed attacker—

-and he burst out laughing.

Artemis looked ready to chuck the extremely heavy book in her hand at him.

"_What's so funny?_" she demanded, practically shrieking.

Wally leaned against the bookshelf and only answered after he managed to maintain regular control of his breathing.

"You screamed bloody murder…because of _that?_" he continued to chuckle, and pointed a finger at what was apparently the top-tier-bane of Artemis's existence: a lone Wolf spider perched across the spine of a few dusty novels.

If looks could ignite, the entire library—Wally and said spider included—would have been incinerated in a nanosecond as a result of the spark in Artemis's glare.

"Don't just _stand_ there!" she yelled at him, her voice raised an octave. "_Do_ something!"

Wally bit down on his lip to stifle his laughter and reached forward to cup the spider in his hands. Artemis let out an uncharacteristic squeak as he did so, and he peered mirthfully at her expression—half-awed, half-terrified, but 100 percent endearing in how vulnerable she looked.

Yes—_endearing_, Wally emphasized in his thoughts as he walked through the Cave with the spider docilely motionless in his hand. With all his scientific reasoning, he could not explain the rationality behind this word-choice, but he felt there was something—dare he say it—_adorable_ in seeing Artemis lose her marbles over a harmless Wolf spider, with her scared eyes imploring him to act like a knight in shining armor.

And Wally couldn't help but feel like one, but understanding Artemis's nature, he knew this was going to be a very rare occurrence—which made it all the more noteworthy.

The afternoon was quiet in its blanket of crispy white. The crunch of Wally's shoes in the snow was the only sound vibrating through the cold air. He set the spider down inside a hollow log, and momentarily felt quite sorry for it. In a matter of a few minutes, it had been relocated from the warm insides of a holiday-spirit-filled cave to the reality of the East Coast winter. However, the spider didn't seem to mind as it leisurely waltzed into its new home, oblivious to the epiphany it had just instilled in its capturer and releaser.

Being a human toaster was for exaggeration purposes only, and Wally wasted no time in speeding back into the cozy tummy of the mountain. When he returned to the library, he found their study table was still empty. He silently padded along the aisles of shelves until he spotted Artemis reaching for a book on her tip-toes, her back turned to him and practically inviting _the speedster_ to be replaced with _the jokester._

The corner of Wally's lips lifted into a lopsided and roguish grin. He zoomed forward, wrapped his arms around Artemis's shoulders from behind, and yelled in her ear, "_Spider!_"

The book tumbled out of Artemis's hands, and with lightning speed comparable to his and moving purely on instinct, she jabbed her elbow into his abdomen.

"_Oh_," he groaned, and slid to his knees while clutching his stomach, "…_hurts so good_."

Artemis inhaled sharply upon the realization of her action, and twisted around.

"Wally!" she yelled, her voice still flooded with adrenaline. However, the sight of his teeth biting into his lips as he grimaced softened her quills, and she lowered to the ground next to him. "Ugh," she groaned, "I'm so sorry—"

"I'm gonna throw up on you," Wally mumbled, and mimicked a heaving motion.

Artemis sharply drew back her hand, which had been floating worrying over his shoulder.

"—okay I take that back. You deserved it!"

"Minus-one for you," Wally continued to grumble.

Artemis rolled her eyes.

"But really," she began, her tone suddenly changing, "…_are you okay?_"

Wally's eyes met hers. It was such a simple gesture—an expression she probably didn't even think about beside a few unconscious neural impulses—but for some reason it struck something in him, and a thought expanded like a drop of ink hitting the water surface.

Artemis was showing she cared.

It definitely wasn't the first time—she seemed hesitantly concerned about him after Kent Nelson's death—but this time, she was making amends for her _own_ actions. And one look at her furrowed brow and searching eyes was enough for him to feel like his heart had just been reduced to a gelatinous blob. He finally stood up and stretched his arms behind him.

"I'm fine. It's going to take more than one lousy jab from you to knock me down."

Artemis simply snorted, and also raised herself from her kneeling position.

"I'll remember to hit you harder next time then."

"You wouldn't _dare_."

Artemis simply set her lips in a straight line and tilted her head challengingly.

"_Because_," Wally began suavely, "then who will rescue you from spiders?"

The archer opened and closed her mouth, before narrowing her eyes.

"Not a _word_ to the others," she warned.

"Why?" Wally's tone was surprisingly absent of its usual lightness and jest. "What's wrong with possessing _the_ most common phobia that ten-percent of all women have?" he continued.

Artemis growled something inaudible and turned back to the shelf, eyes glaring at the titles on each book's spine, and trying not to recognize the irony in such an action.

"Not practical for a _superhero_ to have such an irrational fear," she threw into the air like a dart.

"Arachnophobia? Of course it's rational!" argued Wally. "Stems from humans' basic instinctual aversion of creepy crawlies that could potentially poison and kills us."

"But being a superhero, I should be able to overcome something like that. I mean, what if we're suddenly attacked by an army of spiders—" She paused and she gave a barely noticeable twitch of her eyes, "—and I can't do anything because I'm being a stupid useless _sissy_ with my _ridiculous_ phobia of—"

"I'm afraid of owls."

Artemis frowned, slightly confused at whether she had just heard correctly, or the constant holiday music had completely addled her eardrums. She turned and stared at him.

"What?"

"I'm terrified of _owls_," Wally repeated, somewhat louder.

Artemis scanned his face for hints of trickery, but she saw only steady green eyes and forward honesty staring back at her.

"Really?"

"Um…yeah." Wally averted his gaze to the rows of dull-colored books above Artemis's head, and continued, "When I was a kid, I once woke up in the middle of the night and there was this huge owl just staring at me through my window. Been terrified of them ever since."

He inhaled deeply, desperately trying to wash away the image, and looked back at Artemis.

"How's _that_ for a completely irrational fear."

The archer remained silent for a few moments, wordlessly digesting the exposed secret the boy in front of her had just revealed—the boy who took pride in his sense of pride, and was always confident in his outwards confidence. But in that random moment in the library of Mount Justice, Artemis finally saw the layers of pomp and circumstance peel away to reveal a person not too different from herself. She saw that behind surreal arrogance was a very _real_ human being…

…and someone who had just revealed the sweetest thing a friend could offer: _he trusted her._

He trusted her, and he forgave her for what had happened after their last mission because he understood the meaning of insecurity.

Wally waited for her answer, and when she didn't reply for several seconds, he bit his lower lip and was about to look away when Artemis finally moved. She crossed her arms, leaned against the bookshelf, and smiled.

"_Owls_, huh?" Her tone was friendly; void of accusations and annoyance, and then her smile morphed into an impish grin.

Wally sighed and shook his head.

"The things I _do_ for you," he groaned, but even so, a smile splashed across his own face as he followed her out of the shelves.

"So," he began again after they sat back down at their table, "do I get another point for saving your spineless butt from Mister Fuzzy Arachnid?"

Artemis glared at him. It was most unfortunate he had stumbled across this sole weakness of hers, but no matter; she had equal ammunition to return.

"I'll have it delivered to you via _Owl Mail_," she riposted with ease.

"_The itsy bitsy spider crawled into Arty's bed…_"

Artemis winced at Wally's purposely nasally sing-song voice. Apparently he could be a terrible singer if he tried.

"Batman became Batman because his greatest fear is a bat," she volleyed back. "You should become _Owlman_."

"Only if you'll be my trusty sidekick, _Spiderwoman!_" Wally returned with a million-kilowatt smile.

"Of _course!" _Artemis replied with the most dramatic glee she could manage. "We'll have such a _hoot-ing_ good time together!"

"When I saw your legs, I _eight_ them up!"

Wally's outrageous pun was the breaking point, and they both burst out laughing and a truce was formed.

There was a comfort in studying together and surrounding oneself with the floating brainwaves from one's companion. If "studying" was an amalgamation of the words "student" and "dying", then misery definitely loved company—even if said company comprised of a snarky archer and a dorky speedster.

The remainder of the afternoon passed without any further interruptions of crossbreeding teammates or bookworms turning into book-spiders. Although, Artemis did imitate the low hooting of an owl during a particularly quiet stretch of writer's block, to which Wally responded with narrowed eyes and wiggly fingers meant to imitate the lanky legs of a spider.

Later that evening—and after her paper had been completed and then meticulously peer-edited by an insistent Wally—Artemis returned to her bedroom and exhaustingly threw her notebook and laptop onto her bed, before doing the same with herself. She ran her hands down her face and flipped to her stomach, and was greeted with a page of Punnett Squares.

She humorously snorted and was about to close the notebook when a thought struck her. She and Wally had jokingly paired every member of the Team except the most obvious. She reached over to her nightstand and grabbed a pencil. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it was getting the better of her. She drew a matrix, and slowly filled in the genotypes of herself and Wally.

When she finished, she blinked at the results, and her mind was suddenly filled with an image of a little girl with flowing golden hair and grey-blue eyes chasing a toddler boy looking very much like a miniature Wally.

She opened her eyes and smiled, but then quickly shut the notebook when she realized how _irrational_ her sense of mirth was.

_As if_ she'd _ever_ end up with that boy…

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Again to reiterate, when I began this story, Artemis's eye color wasn't a solid fact, so I made them blue-grey. I do know now her canonical color is grey, but it was too late to change the story.

**Next chapter:** Christmas! Will there be mistletoe? You bet ;)

Thanks for reading and taking the time to write a review! I love you all!


	11. Phoenix

_Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. Or Chronicles of Narnia. Or any of the Christmas stories/poems except the edits made. _

**A/N:** I just really hope everyone remembers the termites-in-pants-party joke from "Spark" and "Solar System"!

Also, I would suggest listening to ThePianoGuys' version of "Where Are You Christmas" on YouTube sometime near the end.**  
><strong>

In any case, it's a beautiful piece nonetheless :)

* * *

><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_  
><strong>XI. Phoenix<strong>  
><em>My world is changing<br>I'm rearranging  
>Does that mean Christmas changes too<br>_- "Where Are You Christmas"

* * *

><p><strong>Mount Justice<br>December 24, 14:43 EDT**

Artemis released the briefest cry of surprise before the snowball hit her raised arm, splashing her with a flurry of snow fairies. She growled to herself and quickly dodged behind the nearest tree, using its thick trunk to shield her from another rocketing pellet of snow. She stooped down and gathered her own ammunition between her mittens, and chanced a peek beyond the bark. A quiescent winter forest gazed back at her, with no sign of her amber-haired, emerald-eyed assailant.

And then suddenly Wally sprinted out from behind another tree, arms in the air and laughter trailing all around him. Artemis launched her snowball at him, which he dodged with a little help from his super-speed.

"Throw, throw, as fast as you can, you can't catch me; I'm Kid Flash!" he taunted in a sing-song voice.

"You're cheating!" Artemis yelled furiously, and made a mental note to design snowball-arrows for next time.

Said reprimanded speedster zoomed past her in a burst of snow, and Artemis twisted away with a scold of his name. However, far from her desired effect of slowing him down, Wally only increased his speed and circled around her until he formed a rushing cyclone of winter that lifted Artemis high into the air.

"_Put me down right now," _she screeched,_ "or I'm going to sever your b_—"

Artemis's deadly insult was cut short when she suddenly plummeted through the dissipating winds, and directly into Wally's outstretched arms.

"Your wish is my command, my Christmas Angel," he quipped. He grinned down at her, his eyes animated with mirth, and his cheeks and nose tinged pink from the cold.

Artemis raised an eyebrow, and her lips shimmered into a glossy smile. Wally recognized the glint in her eyes one second too late, and she swiftly slapped a snowball into his face. He teetered backwards, and she leaped from his arms in his momentary distraction and dashed deeper into the forest.

The recent storm of last night had left inches of untouched snow on the ground, and it was fluffy and light as it danced around her legs as she moved. The icy air flowing through her lungs was like cooling peppermint, and the satisfying crunch of snow beneath her boots was reminiscent of autumn leaves and crisp apples. Everything passing her was covered in white as she swam through an untouched fairy world.

She knew he could catch her before one could say "nanosecond", but she wasn't running to escape; she was running because she wanted to. Her Scrooge-like behavior for the past few weeks didn't stem from bitterness against the jovial jingle-bell times; it was an instinctual reaction towards the sensory overload of everything she had never experienced. Passing store-front windows filled with baubles and ornaments and seeing sales of Christmas trees and wreaths on television was _overwhelmingly_ different from witnessing, touching, smelling, and tasting the holiday. She essentially grew up without Christmas, and all of a sudden, for the first time in sixteen years, every facet of the holiday appeared like an avalanche.

It _did_ thrill her, but most of the time she didn't know what to do—how to act, and how to think. It was like taking a child who had been held prisoner behind dark stone walls and presenting him or her with a free weekend in Disneyland.

And then there was the exhaustion of hiding all this from the rest of the Team—not because she felt she could do without their pity, but because it would unmistakably lead to questions about her origins, which would involve revealing her less-than-stellar family ties.

Thus when the Team had taken the afternoon of Christmas Eve to build snowmen (and snow-women) outside Mount Justice, Artemis had absconded into the woods for a rare slice of meditative peace. However, to her outside chagrin—and hidden inner elation—Wally had followed with a sunlit smile and a snowball fight.

Wally wiped the snow from his face and watched a river of gold disappear behind a silver tree. _Amateur_, he thought to himself. _No one can ever hope to outrun the fastest kid on Earth!_ He mentally released a villainous guffaw and zipped past the tree, locked his target on one snarky Rapunzel, and charged.

"_Revenge-!_" Wally cried as he pounced on his prey.

Artemis turned around in the last second, her face lighting up with a challenging glare and a flash of pearls against red lips, before both their bodies crashed to the ground with an explosion of frost.

For the briefest of moments, everything was silent except for the sound of their breathing as the air swirled between them like quicksilver. Wally noted how brilliant Artemis's dark eyes glowed in contrast with the swan-white of the surrounding snow, how the rivulets of her ponytail shimmered in the sun, how her parted lips reminded him of sweet holly berries…

He grinned and lowered himself until their breaths rose together as one into the winter sky.

"—is a dish best served cold," he finished in a low voice.

Artemis remained quiet, every snide remark on the tip of her tongue frozen in the air as she found herself losing her will to retaliate in Wally's gaze, because suddenly, in this glacial winter wonderland, she finally felt the walls around her heart begin to melt. Somehow, between all their banter and jokes and secrets and hugs, she may have finally—

"_Wally! Artemis!"_ M'gann's sunny voice suddenly jumped into their heads, startling them both and yanking Artemis's thoughts back from their strange silken sinking.

"_Yeah, M'gann?"_ the archer replied as Wally immediately scooted away so she could stand. She caught him look away and rub the back of his neck, and made a mental note to tease him later.

"_We're heading back inside to make gingerbread houses!"_ The Martian's voice was the epitome of all things bubbly, with infectious enthusiasm that helped erupt a smile on Artemis's lips. _"It's going to be a tournament of girls versus guys!"_ And now Artemis's grin broadened as she turned to eye Wally with satisfaction. Now _that_ was a Christmas tradition she would love to participate in.

"_On our way!"_ Wally responded smoothly, and then added out loud at Artemis, "Prepare to get smoked with graham crackers and gumdrops, Christmas Angel."

Artemis laughed, and swiftly shoveled one last handful of snow from the ground to freeze away his ego with. However, her attack plan was interrupted by Wally's arms scooping her up and the blast of icy air as they weaved through the trees and back to the Cave. She was _never_ going to get used to traveling like that.

Unfortunately for the speedster, Artemis was still holding onto the small clump of ice as they arrived at the entrance, and he was forced to greet the Team while doing the holy-crap-I-need-to-get-this-snow-out-of-my-pants dance to the background music of _Jingle Bells_.

(It was _all_ the rage at the termite-party.)

Poor Robin was nearly the victim of asphyxiation as he struggled to breathe between guffaws as the Team walked inside.

"_Nice_ moves, bro," he finally managed to joke as he massaged his sore abdomen.

Wally snorted and riposted, "Don't be jealous that's how I get all the ladies."

Artemis overheard and rolled her eyes. She was about to throw a witty response back at Wally when Zatanna suddenly appeared by her side and linked arms with her.

"_Soooo_," she whispered slyly while detaching the two a few steps away from the main group, "where did you and _Wally_ disappear off to, hmm?"

Artemis scoffed and then answered effortlessly, "We went to find Narnia because Wally has _the_ biggest crush on Mister Tumnus."

"I _heard_ that!" Wally exclaimed as he darted past the two to answer the kitchen's seductions.

Zatanna ignored him and volleyed Artemis's scoff back at her with an added raised eyebrow.

"You _mean_," she replied, dropping her voice and pulling her friend closer, "Wally has _the_ biggest crush on _you_."

Artemis then discovered it was very possible to cough, choke, snort, and sputter at the same time. She released a very cliché nervous laugh and waved Zatanna's bizarre notion away while her eyes darted anxiously towards Wally. Although possessing super-speed, he fortunately did not have super-hearing above the waves of holiday music, and was incidentally preoccupied with "singing along" to the overhead tunes, much to Robin's vexation.

"_Jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg!_"

"Really, KF? That got old about the first time minus one."

Artemis did, however, encounter Conner's knowing glance, and fired a warning glare at him. He grinned lopsidedly and turned away to wrap an arm around M'gann's waist as she merrily poured boxes of variegated candies into bowls.

"Oh come on, Artemis," Zatanna continued to verbally egg and physically nudge. "Stop swimming in Egyptian rivers already."

Artemis laughed again, and replied with a noticeably higher tone in her voice, "W-who said anything about swimming in rivers?" And then before Zatanna could even think about zapping her with a truth spell, she slipped away and slid into the bar stool next to Kaldur. "_Hey_ Kaldur! Joining in on the competition?"

"Four boys against three girls?" The Atlantian responded in his usual musing and serene manner. "I think those odds are hardly fair."

Artemis grinned and nodded her head thoughtfully.

"I know right? The boys are _really_ going to lose."

"I think Kaldur meant the odds aren't in _your_ favor," Wally interrupted with a giant bowl of tiny spherical chocolates in his arm. He popped a tiny ball into his mouth and made an effort to chew as unattractively as he could.

Artemis remained unfazed by his act, and retaliated, "Oh right, because 'odd' is _your_ flavor."

Wally stopped chewing and frowned.

"_Wuh?_" he replied through a graceful mouthful of chocolate.

"What?" Artemis echoed naively with a tilt of her head.

The speedster slowly narrowed his eyes and swallowed.

"Don't make me hurt you," he grumbled.

"Don't make me shove another snowball down your pants," Artemis responded with a snort, and then added as innocently and sweetly as she could ever manage, "Did the termites have fun with the last one?"

Wally tossed his laugh into the air and walked closer to the counter, opposite Artemis.

"I can still call up a demon to haunt your room." He then placed the bowl down and wiggled his fingers in a very eight-legged fashion. "_Or_, something else more tangible."

Artemis planted her elbows on the marble surface and leaned forward.

"Hoot _hoot_," she taunted in a sing-song voice.

The rest of the Team regarded the verbal ping-pong match with silent amusement. It always amazed them how the staccato beats of Wally and Artemis's snappy banter never faltered, as if the two secretly held rehearsals for their almost daily duets.

M'gann interrupted their vocal sparring by presenting two trays containing a blank gingerbread house on each, meticulously cut and iced-together with the finest telekinesis. She placed one tray in front of Robin and Conner, and the other between Artemis and Zatanna.

Wally faked an exaggerated motion of slamming his fist down onto the girls' gingerbread house, and zoomed away before Artemis could exaggerate the motion of slamming _her_ fist into his _face_.

"Yeah, you better run!" she barked, but with an unmistakable hint of gaiety in the threat.

It was decided Red Tornado would be the most impartial judge on the categories of gingerbread-house-aesthetics, and thus the grand competition commenced amongst lighthearted chit-chat and the bright notes of holiday music.

Artemis didn't dive right into the decorations like the others, but instead preferred to shadow for a few minutes. She picked up a tube of icing, and allowed her eyes to roam across the kaleidoscope of candy bowls. She honestly didn't even know the names of a few of the sweets; let alone what they would taste like.

Zatanna caught Artemis's baffled expression, and nudged her.

"Only _I_ can decorate a gingerbread house without physically touching it," she teased, before taking the tube from Artemis's hands and showing her how to border a window with it. "Use it like glue. And then you put on some candy...like sprinkles." She handed the icing back and passed along a bowl of tiny rainbow sprinkles.

Artemis wordlessly nodded and picked up a single purple sprinkle. Then, to distract attention away from herself, she cleared her throat and pulled up a chirpy smile and a riddle.

"What's the difference," she began while carefully bordering the window, "between a knight and Santa's reindeer? One slays the dragon, while the other is draggin' the sleigh!"

"Hey!" piped up Wally through the laughter of the Team, "You stole that from me!"

"Here, have a gummy bear." She picked up a gummy and threw it at Wally, who automatically opened his mouth and caught it with satisfaction.

Robin silently chuckled to himself. Artemis apparently had already discovered the golden key to silencing the ever-jabbering speedster: food.

And what's more surprising was he _let_ her, and _stayed_ quiet.

Robin didn't have to be Batman's protégé to deduce _this_ puzzle.

* * *

><p>Planning a competition and actually executing such an event can be very much two different things. Halfway through, Robin and Zatanna began to bicker over the legalities of using magic in the candy architecture. And when Robin wasn't looking, Wally continuously inhaled their building supplies until he and Artemis flew into another oral wrestling match over the disappearing sweets.<p>

"You're having dinner in like an hour! You can't hold off until then?"

"_One full hour_ is a _long_ time!"

"But how are we supposed to finish our houses if you're channeling your inner ogre and monopolizing all materials for your endless stomach?"

Wally crossed his arms and challenged her smugly. "I'm sure the citizens can find something else to spruce up their humble adobes."

"Like your _internal organs_ when I _take them from_ you?" Artemis glowered back.

Wally feigned a shocked gasp and leered away from the counter. "My Lady! Why must you treat an innocent ogre like such? I am only trying to calm the cries of my poor stomach!"

"And _I_ am only trying to house my homeless subjects!"

"My stomach takes precedence over your nonexistent peasants."

"Oh, I can make your _stomach_ nonexistent as well then."

Superboy raised an eyebrow at M'gann, who shrugged and turned apologetically to Kaldur's lightly amused expression. The Atlantian actually had half-a-mind to tell both quipping couples to "get a room", but decided it would not befit a Team leader to utter something so uncouth.

"Well," Wally announced, "as much as I'd love to stay with Princess Wannabe-Wit over here—" he gestured at Artemis, who narrowed her eyes "—I better go help the fam-bam with dinner." He brought two fingers to his forehead as a parting salute, and then turned towards Artemis. "Try not to miss me _too_ much when I'm gone."

"I wouldn't be able to miss you _too much_ if I'm not going to be missing you _at all_," Artemis retorted.

Wally pursed his lips and shook his head. "Ooo, you've _always_ been a terrible liar, Arty." And then before the archer could tackle him, he zipped out of the kitchen and into a zeta-tube, leaving Artemis grinning and mentally stumbling over the veracity of Wally's statement at the same time.

**Central City  
>December 24, 18:30 CDT<strong>

One practical benefit of having a family of speedsters is setting up the dinner table takes less than a second, and shortly after Wally arrived at the Garricks', it was finally time to shush the "cries of his poor stomach". However, not even after his first bite did conversation take a turn for the unfortunately awkward, with his own mother pushing down the first domino.

"So Wally, how's Artemis?" she inquired after scooping her son a ogre-sized helping of mashed potatoes.

"Ah yes, how _is_ your girlfriend?" Joan added with excitement. "You should bring her around more often."

"She-! What-!" Wally choked. "She's not my girlfriend!"

"_Yet_," corrected Barry between chuckles.

Wally balked and turned towards his uncle.

"What do you _mean_ 'yet'?"

"Oh Mary," Joan continued happily, "I hope you're prepared for lots of beautiful and feisty grandchildren!"

Wally's mother's face flushed with amusement and she gave her son's hair a quick ruffle.

"As long as they don't take after their father and superglue all the electrical plugs to their wall-sockets, I'll be fine!"

Laughter exploded around the table, and a defeated Wally grumbled into his honey ham.

**Mount Justice  
>December 24, 19:40 EDT<strong>

Artemis's phone suddenly buzzed as she was half-way through cutting into her lasagna. She turned her head to see the sender of the text and snorted.

"You should probably stay away from my family for a while," Wally's message read. Artemis placed down her utensils and tapped a quick response.

"Lol why?"

Wally's reply came almost immediately: "They're getting ridiculous ideas."

"Aww are they telling you how handsome and charming and smart you are?"

Robin craned his neck from across the table to try to sneak a peek at Artemis's phone.

"Who are you texting?" he inquired. "Your BF?"

Artemis snorted and replied without taking her eyes off the screen, "If by BF you mean Bored Friend, then—" Suddenly, she halted and jerked her eyes upwards across the table at Robin. She was getting the _strangest_ feeling of deja-vu…

Robin merely grinned at her.

"What?" he asked her.

"Nothing…" Artemis finally answered with a slight furrow of her eyebrows. "And it's just Wally," she added nonchalantly.

"And there's my answer!"

Artemis released a very loud "Ha!" at him and returned her expression into one of unamused deadpan.

"You're _hilarious_, Robin," she complimented him sarcastically.

It wasn't rare for Artemis to find herself completely occupied with thoughts about Wally—whether reliving memories, formulating new witty comebacks to old banter, or imagining scenarios if he were present. She realized how important his family was to Wally, but she couldn't help focus on the gnawing in her heart as she missed his presence. If Wally were here, he would have appreciated her subtle nerdy remark about wanting the food to blueshift instead of redshift, or realized the hilarious significance behind a porterhouse steak, or would have placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder when M'gann passed around a plate of warm peanut-butter chocolate-chip cookies.

She still laughed and joked with her teammates, for they had all gradually became her closest friends and almost-family, but she continued to find herself miss her _best-friend_—even though that was a title she would never admit to that obnoxious smart-mouthed speedster.

* * *

><p>"<em>Recognized: Kid Flash, B03<em>."

Both Artemis's head and heart jerked at the welcoming message from the cave's computer. She placed the final washed and dried plate in the cupboard, turned towards the exit of the kitchen, hesitated for a split-second, and then swished her ponytail behind her shoulder before finally walking out. Zatanna attempted to catch her friend's eye, but Artemis was an archer on a mission. The magician did, however, manage to sneak over to the doorway just in time to humorously wish she had made a monetary bet on her earlier statement to Artemis on the subject of Wally's gigantic crush.

From the condition of the speeder's clothes, he had probably evaporated every single calorie from his Christmas feast running through a snow storm. But despite the winter frost tipping his hair, his eyes and face shone with spring and summer as he walked towards Artemis. They met at the center of the command room, and paused within a few feet of each other. All of a sudden, Wally untangled the maroon scarf around his neck and used it to swiftly lasso Artemis in until her arms were pressed against his chest.

Zatanna couldn't decipher Artemis's expression, but she could only guess Wally was only a second away from becoming a secret eggnog ingredient in M'gann's blender. She was about to step out from her clandestine hideaway when Wally saved himself by pointing upwards with a lopsided grin. Both Artemis and Zatanna's eyes followed his finger to spy a single twig of mistletoe, hung by an artistic web of burgundy ribbons.

_Oh you dog,_ thought Zatanna as she ducked away with a smirk.

Back under the mistletoe, Artemis's silent glower gradually morphed into a foxy sparkle. She tilted her head towards Wally and leaned in with an aura of anticipation. She caught the jump in Wally's eyes, as well as behind his chest, and smirked away her own hitched breathing. Her lips moved closer and closer, until they finally brushed softly over his cheek, and left a tingle of peppermint as she drew away.

Artemis found Wally half-smiling, half-hypnotized as she pulled back.

"That's it?" he asked at last after finding his voice.

Artemis pursed her lips and angled her head pensively. She reached up and carefully brushed back a curl of his hair that had become stuck to his forehead from the melting snow.

"I _could_ add a slap too," she cooed.

Wally inhaled slowly with a deliberately contemplative nod, and cocked an eyebrow at Artemis's glimmering eyes.

"Hmm," he replied leisurely, and then turned away to shout over his shoulder, "So! M'gann! How 'bout some _delicious_ dessert?" He released her from the scarf, and Artemis was left laughing into a quake of wind.

It was just a simple and platonic kiss, but it left a scorching imprint, and Artemis was grateful for the burst of air to cool the tingling heat rushing across her cheeks. However, there was no suppressing the sparks inside her, and it was only the fear of the unknown that stopped her unbridled instinct from wanting more.

She coughed and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, followed by a half-hearted smoothing of her sweater—anything to keep her immediate thoughts away from over-analyzing the situation as she walked back to the kitchen where M'gann was pouring glasses of eggnog. She caught Zatanna staring at her with a contorted face of suppressed humor, and mentally braced herself for the interrogation next time the two girls were alone.

"Eggnog?" offered M'gann as she held up a glass to Artemis.

"Batman approve of this?" the archer asked as she accepted and took a sip. Sweet, creamy, warm…it all hit her taste-buds at once and she felt relaxed even before she swallowed. "Wow M'gann, this is really good! I mean, not that I really have anything to compare this with but—"

Wally immediately whirled to her side.

"You mean you've never had eggnog before?" he interrupted. "Even the kiddy kinds?"

"No, I thought I—" Artemis paused when she felt the eyes on her. She looked away from Wally and noticed everyone had fallen silent and had turned to her with inquisitive expressions. She sighed and lowered her gaze to the beige swirls in her glass. "M'gann and Conner aren't the only ones who've never celebrated Christmas before," she muttered. She looked back up and caught everyone sharing knowing glances with each other.

"Oh, we knew," spoke M'gann.

Artemis shot a frenzied glare at Wally, who threw up his palms and backed up.

"We kind of assumed on our own, actually," Zatanna added quickly.

"Yeah, it's really no big deal," Conner continued. "You never got a chance to celebrate as a kid. So what? You still turned out okay."

Kaldur reached forward to rest a hand on Artemis's shoulder and concluded with the wise words of a leader and a friend: "We will never judge you on your past, Artemis. It is the choices you make in the present that determine your true character."

"And really, as long as you're having fun, that's all that matters right?" Wally interjected with a grin. "Because that's what the holiday season is really about: enjoying time with those closest to you."

"KF, you sap!" Robin laughed, before raising his glass into the air. "To the Team," he toasted, and then turned to Artemis. "To spending the holiday with those closest to you," he added, "but never forgetting those who are gone."

Artemis couldn't quite place the flash of empathy that passed through Robin's dark shades, nor did she have time to dwell on it as glasses clanked upwards and eggnog sloshed downwards among cheers of "Merry Christmas!"

The remainder of the evening was spent in front of the fireplace, with the Team spread out on couches, or in Wally's case, the floor. Halfway through their light conversations, Artemis left her seat on the couch to use the restroom, only to come back to see Wolf had commandeered her spot and was now resting his giant head comfortably on Conner's lap. The effects of the eggnog caused her to shrug away her loss and slide against the couch to rest on the floor next to Wally.

"Hath My Lady finally come down from up high to join her ogre?" he teased.

Artemis leaned back and shot him a grin through half-lidded eyes.

"Ogre, or prince?" she huskily replied.

Wally smiled and leaned closer.

"Whicever My Lady doth wish," he answered.

Artemis continued to stare mirthfully at him until the bits and pieces of outside conversation knocked into their bubble of silence.

"Christmas story reading, anyone?" M'gann suggested as a large book floated softly to the coffee table.

"Ooo, me first!" chimed Wally as he leaned forward to grab the book. "But I'm reading a poem because I have the attention span of a pea when it comes to these things..."

He flipped through the pages until he stumbled across his favorite piece, and began: "Twas the night before Christmas, when all through—" He paused, and his eyes lit up with a dusting of ingenious glitter. He cleared his throat, and restarted the poem, but with a few personal tweaks of his own:

_Twas the night before Christmas, when all through Mount Justice  
>Not a creature was stirring, not even Artemis.<br>The crime files all opened on the computer with care,  
>In hopes that Batman soon would be there.<em>

_The Team was nestled all snug in their beds,_  
><em>Whil<em>e _visions __of missions danced in their heads.  
><em>_And RT in his 'kerchief, and I in my cap,  
><em>_Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap._

_When out on the beach there arose such a clatter,_  
><em>I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.<em>  
><em>Away to the exit I flew as Kid Flash,<br>Opened the latch and was outside in a dash._

_The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow_  
><em>Gave the luster of mid-day as all was aglow.<em>  
><em>When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,<em>  
><em>But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.<em>

_With a little old driver, so brooding and fast,_  
><em>I knew in a moment it must be ol Bats.<em>  
><em>Swifter than the Bioship his coursers they came,<em>  
><em>And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!<em>

_"Now Robin! Now, Robin! Now, Robin and Robin!_  
><em>On, Robin! On, Robin! On, on Robin and Robin!<em>  
><em>To the top of the cave! To the top of the seawall!<em>  
><em>Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"<em>

He couldn't continue, because the entire Team had dissolved into laughter, with even the usual straight-faced Conner and Kaldur clutching their stomachs.

"_I'm_ pulling the sleigh?" Robin choked.

"All _eight_ of you," Zatanna replied with a chortle, "after I use one of my spells!"

After the laughter died down, she and Robin took turns reading lines from an abridged version of _The Nutcracker_, and the book was passed around the group until it returned to M'gann for the last story of the night.

"One dollar and eighty-seven cents," the Martian began as she started classically one of the most heart-warming Christmas stories. "That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time…"

Somewhere in the middle of the story, Artemis's eyelids began to droop, and soon the warmth of the fire and being next to Wally pulled her into a dreaming snooze. On its own accord, her head slid down until it found the niche between Wally's shoulder, and her whole being melted into the silken cocoon of sleep.

Wally looked down at the top of her head in amusement. He gently took the empty mug out of her hand and set it aside, and slowly shifted until his arm was around her. If anyone else on the Team noticed this sudden dissolving of the line between the archer and the speedster, no one made a gesture or sound. Perhaps they were all expecting it, or perhaps it was just the cheer of the season that allowed for such bold movements.

"…O all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere they are wisest. They are the magi. The end."

M'gann quietly closed the book, and the Team basked in the halcyon of camaraderie for a few moments before a yawn from Robin woke them to the reality of the late hour.

"Sleepy time," whispered Zatanna as she rose from the couch and stretched. She looked over at Wally and Artemis, and noticed the former lost in thought in the mesmerizing flames of the fireplace, and the latter still comfortably asleep in his arms. She sighed and grinned, before murmuring a few words and materializing a blanket on top of the two.

Startled, Wally jerked his head away from the fireplace and caught Zatanna's wink. He mouthed a "thanks" and watched everyone leave the room among wishes of "Merry Christmas" before returning his focus back towards the dancing flames. He closed his eyes, and ran his fingers lightly up and down Artemis's arm. She made a soft sniffling noise in her sleep, and Wally turned his gaze towards her. Somewhere in the background, the soft tune of "Where Are You Christmas" began playing.

And then it hit him like a sappy baseball right in the sappy head: he liked her—the girl whose warmth was permeating through his shoulder into his heart and making it beat faster with every second of his epiphany; the girl who had somehow evolved from the bane of his existence into the boon of his days.

He had never seen it coming, but it somehow felt familiar all the same. Maybe somewhere in the back of his mind he had known the from the first moment he saw Artemis that this was going to be a different story than his flings with the girls at school, or even his good-natured crush on M'gann. It was more than her undeniable beauty that had acted as a fishing hook—it was how she took the time to listen and comfort him on the beach after Kent Nelson's death; how she made his heart fly with adrenaline through her wit; how she argued with him and was never afraid to back down; how she understood and relished his nerdy-side; how she gave him the desire to never see her anything other than happy. It was also how Artemis had somehow _changed_ Wally—for the better. In his fifteen years of existence, her footsteps had left the greatest imprint on his heart, even just after four months.

No more denial; no more ignoring the lingering feeling that had unknowingly morphed from annoyance to adoration; no more lying to himself and trying to climb away on an invisible ladder that had stopped existing. He was falling—no, he was _soaring_—he was soaring with the feeling of longing pouring through his veins like liquid gold.

Wally West was slowly, but surely, falling in love with Artemis Crock. He had found his Spitfire.

He tightened his arm around her, and gently laid his lips on her soft hair. He closed his eyes again and sat still, hardly breathing, and just living in brief anoesis as the overhead song finished.

_I feel you Christmas  
>I know I've found you<br>You never fade away  
>The joy of Christmas<br>Stays here inside us  
>Fills each and every heart with love…<em>

As the piece trailed away, a lone nebulous thought trailed into his mind like the fingers of unwanted fog; a thought that threatened to shatter his epiphany and maybe something more: what if all this… was unrequited?

A chill suddenly quenched the embers in his chest and his eyes flew open. His breathing buckled, and he slowly pulled away from Artemis to droop his head against the couch behind them. As he stared at the flickering shadows on the ceiling cast by the dying fire at the hearth, he decided he would rather take a risk than sit forever in regret.

Or maybe…she won't know; not yet at least. It'll be his secret to keep until an opportune moment arose, but for now…

With one fluid motion, he scooped her up in his arms, blanket and all, and cradled her all the way into her bedroom. He laid her softly on the bed, and with a small upwards twitch of his lips, tucked in the blanket all around her outline so she looked like a burrito. Just because he liked her more than just a friend doesn't mean he'll ever stop being silly.

He gazed at her peaceful sleeping figure for a moment before zooming out of the room, and then slipping back in a few seconds later. In his hand were a card and a small piece of paper. He flattened both out on Artemis's desk, and borrowing a pen, spent a few minutes thinking and writing down two separate messages. When he finally finished, he sealed the card in an envelope, folded the note in half, and placed both on her nightstand to greet her in the morning.

He remembered the last time he had stayed awake watching Artemis—it was during the nightmarish few hours after she suffered an injury to her head in November. He had knelt on the ground by her bed with his head resting in his arms by her side, and bargained with every higher-powered entity known to man for her eyes to flutter awake. Upon reflection, he wondered if that was the single moment when he realized how valuable her life was to him; how much he would miss her if she left; how broken his heart would be without her.

But tonight, instead of worry and regret tearing his insides, his heart felt full and his gaze was endearing as his eyes traced the perfect arcs of her eyebrows, the full feathers of her long eyelashes, and her cheekbones and lips flushed with the coziness of sleep.

And then on a whim, he dipped his head down and laid a kiss as light as a snowflake on her forehead, before softly whispering, "I've found you, Christmas."

* * *

><p><strong>Mount Justice<br>December 25, 9:24 EDT**

Artemis woke the next morning facing her nightstand and a blur of white. She blinked the hazy dreams from her eyes and realized she was staring at the unmistakable scrawl of Wally on a small piece of paper resting on a larger envelope. Upon remembering what day it was, she quickly untangled her hand from the awfully-tightly-wrapped blanket around her and reached over.

She smoothed out the note and read it first:

_+1 for putting you to bed?  
>- Wally<br>P.S. You snore like a lawn mower_

Artemis scoffed. "I do not!" She grumbled out loud, and picked up the envelope. Inside was a Christmas card covered in glitter and wishes of joy, with a simple letter written on the inside:

_Dear Arty /Rapunzel/Spider-Lover,_

_Merry Christmas! So… now that I have 10 points, I can redeem them right?  
>How about we escape this cold and go to the San Diego Zoo for a day?<br>Wait… did I just redeem all my hard-earned points for your present? … Dang!_

_Cheers,  
>The Extremely Good Looking Wallman<em>

_P.S. Just kidding—you don't snore. You do drool a little though :P_

Artemis reread the words over and over before finally clutching the card to her chest and resting her head back on her pillow. She closed her eyes with a sigh, and a small laugh jingled through her lips.

**Central City  
>December 25, 8:30 CDT<strong>

Wally woke with a start as the cellphone on his nightstand lit up and buzzed. He grumbled something about eggnog, and groggily fumbled his fingers until they wrapped around the thin device and brought it to his squinting eyes. It was a text from Artemis, and he had to blink several times at the simple message before it sloshed through his brain and kicked him awake.

Then suddenly, the phone flew from his hand and plopped onto the covers as he threw his arms into the air with a triumphant yell.

"Wahoo!" he exclaimed, before zooming out of his bed and into the hallway. "_Merryyyyyyy Christmaaaaassssss!_"

His phone glowed like a star in the night as it shined Artemis's message through the dimly lit room. It contained merely a single word, but held enough warmth for Wally to let him know maybe his secret needn't be a secret for much longer:

"Okay :]"

_If there is love in your heart and your mind  
>You will feel like Christmas all the time<em>

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Only 3 more chapters and an Epilogue to go!

Also, thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway! The winners were already announced, and prizes shipped. However, I'm definitely thinking of having another one when ALF is complete, so keep an eye out! I notified all those who have reviewed ALF in the past via PM's, but I think I'm going to announce it at the end of the Epilogue this time. Less work for me lol.

**EDIT:** I am well aware of the ages of Wally and Artemis, and how Wally is older than Artemis. However, I planned this story way before "Coldhearted", and thus their birthdays are not canon. Please do not send me messages regarding that. Thanks!

**Next chapter: **Sometimes, Wally needs someone to wipe his tears too…

Thank you for reading, and for taking the time to review if you can!


	12. Superhero

**A/N:** Once again, just to remind everyone _A Lingering Feeling_ is pretty much **AU after "Performance".** In other words, the events of "Usual Suspects" and "Auld Acquaintance" never happened.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_**  
>XII. Superhero<br>**_Let me be the one you call  
>If you jump I'll break your fall<br>Lift you up and fly away with you into the night  
><em>- Savage Garden, "Crash and Burn"

* * *

><p><em><strong>For Andrea<br>And for all those affected by the Colorado shootings  
>I hope this comforts you... if even just a little bit<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>Mount Justice<br>January 2, 1:00 EDT**

Artemis yawned, and covered her mouth with one hand as the other continued to fervently create the curves of words across paper. The previous instance her mother had been locked away in prison, Artemis had faithfully written a letter to her once a week. When the detail of her daily life became too mundane, she would fabricate colorful stories filled with fairies and dragons and princesses rescuing forgotten queens.

When Paula was once again sentenced to prison last October, Artemis had continued the tradition—one of the few she shared with her family, or what was left of it. Fairytale stories from the mind of a ten-year old were replaced by accounts of gallant missions (with the exception of the top-secret, of course) and subtle musings of her personal life surrounding a green-eyed boy she simply dubbed "Emerald" out of paranoia.

For her part, her mother found the contradicting words and hidden meanings to be quite endearing, and stated in her last letter how she couldn't "wait to meet this charming young man, if only to see if his eyes live up to your nickname of him!"

In response, Artemis argued they were more of a rotten-apple-green than those of a forest pool, but she was always an awful liar.

Just as she finished signing the letter, her phone buzzed against the wood surface of her desk, sending a jolt of alarm through her veins at the sudden clatter. Her miniature heart-attack only escalated when she saw it was a message from "Emerald" himself.

"Hey are you still awake?" it read. "If not and you see this in the morning I'm sorry to have woken you…"

Artemis bit her lower lip and re-read the text. Wally had never wanted to chat with her this late before, or with a starter-message that sounded so uncharacteristic of his usual glossy banter. In addition, his grammar was correct, which could only mean serious business.

She leaned back in her chair and typed a swift response: "Definitely still awake. Something wrong?"

Almost immediately after her reply sent, Wally's caller-ID (a loony cross-eyed picture he took of himself when Artemis had made the mistake of letting him check basketball scores with her phone) illuminated the screen. She accepted the call hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst.

"Hey," she greeted him softly.

"Hey…" Wally's answer was more like a sigh, and when he continued, his voice was muggy and slightly scratchy, like he was suffering from an unfortunate head cold. "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year to you too. You were sorely missed at the New Year's Eve party, by the way." Artemis then paused, and tapped her fingers in a crescendo across her desk before deciding cream-fillings were always more important than trivial small-talk. "Is everything okay?"

"Just dandy. Peachy," Wally answered. There was a hollow cough, followed by the truth: "No. Not at all."

"Oh…um, did the grocery store run out of food?"

At least her brief attempt at a joke brought a small trickle of laughter from the back of his throat.

"I wish…" He sighed again, and after a length of silence, finally began in a mournful tone, "It's Jay. And Iris and Barry. And my parents…"

**Central City  
>December 31, 20:06 CDT<strong>

_**Two Days Earlier…**_

It had been all a blur to Wally—no pun intended.

They had gotten a frenzied call from Joan earlier that afternoon, and the house of cards began silently tumbling down like the puffy snow outside. And then Wally was next to Jay Garrick, who was lying motionless on a hospital bed, with nothing but the strident sounds of unnatural machines beeping all around. Barry was there, holding Iris in his arms and staring at Jay's oxygen mask with voids in his eyes. Mary had Joan's hands tightly in hers, and the two women struggled to be the other's anchor. Wally's father's thoughts were lost with his unseeing gaze out the window, matching the beeps with falling snowflakes.

The doctors couldn't deduce the enigma of Jay's illness, but they had a strong suspicion it was due to the overwork of his muscles and joints in his younger years. In other words, his superhero powers had been a double-edged sword, and what had been the source of countless innocent lives saved was now killing the savior.

And then the arguments began—slow like water on the burner, but soon becoming a bubbling cauldron with the power to maim.

Iris wanted Barry to reconsider his role in the Justice League, citing his future health, and their wish for children and grandchildren. She understood the superhero mentality of self-sacrifice in the name of justice, but love gives one the right to be selfish. She didn't want the day to come where all she would have of Barry would be his memories, and a bouquet of flowers for his tombstone.

And then Wally's parents carried the boiling waves to him.

"Wally, you have your _whole life_ ahead of you."

"Committing yourself to this type of lifestyle at your age is a little early, don't you think?"

"Think about _college_, or when you get _married_, and have _kids_."

"You are our _only_ child, Wally."

"We're _honored_ to have a son who saves lives, but we would rather _have_ a son than _not_."

And all the worries Wally's parents had kept bottled up poured out in implorations from the heart that turned into angry tears as Wally bristled and retaliated.

It was _his_ life, he argued, and he wasn't doing all this for some cheap thrill. He recognized the sacrifices he would have to make; the dangers that shadow him every day; the reality of failure due to just _one_ second lost. The motivation to be like his uncle may have been the catalyst for becoming Kid Flash, but it was _not_ the fuel that drove his reason for staying— it was all the sunrises that arrive because of his actions; the looks of raw gratitude in people's eyes when he saves them; the smiles of all the Queen Perdita's of the world; and above all else, knowing his existence was making a positive difference in the world.

Yes, we understand, his parents yelled back, but _was it wrong for them to not want their beloved son to die like Jay?_

"He's _not_ dying," Wally hissed as tears burned through his eyes, and then he ran.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Present day…<strong>_

Wally told everything to Artemis, including how the arguments had continued when his parents found him in his room later that night, and how Jay's condition had deteriorated into an unexplainable coma.

"I never knew my grandparents," he confided in a flat tone, "so Jay and Joan are more than family friends; they _are_ family. And when I was a kid, Jay would sometimes come over just so he could tuck me into bed…probably because I would fuss so much about wanting him to tell me his stories… he had the best stories—some of them were like Disney fairytales, but I liked the ones he made up the best." His voice faltered before he continued, "I still remember how he had promised to tell me a story about a Phoenix, but I grew out of that phase before he had a chance to." Another silent spell blanketed the conversation, and when Wally spoke, his voice was barely audible. "And now… I guess I'll never hear that story."

Artemis remained silent, her eyes cast somberly downwards and her gaze remained introverted. She had never physically lost anyone in her life due to death or illness, but she could metaphorically relate to Wally's current feeling of betrayal and hopelessness.

Then suddenly, an idea struck her.

"Hey Wally? Can I call you back in fifteen?" she asked. "I need to uh, shower, because I, uh, stink."

"Oh… yeah sure." And then his voice lightened a notch. "Ugh, I can smell you all the way from here!"

"Shut-up. Okay be right back then."

She hung up, but instead of heading for the bathroom, she threw off her current pajamas and tossed a shirt and sweater over her head, and quickly pulled on a pair of jeans from the floor. She grabbed her crossbow, coat, and phone, and slipped into the dimly-lit hallway. She couldn't believe she had just pulled off her first lie, but then again Wally wasn't in his most observant mood.

On her way to the Command Room, she paused at the kitchen and opened the fridge. She cursed slightly at the blinding white glow she was sure even the blind could sense, and rummaged around until she found the stash of leftover Snickerdoodles from M'gann's latest baking spree. She dumped half the bowl into a paper-bag, and hurriedly ran to the zeta beams.

"_Recognized: Artemis, B07_"

The last time she was in Central City was for Thanksgiving dinner with Wally's family, and he had carried her the entire way via the Kid-Flash Express. However, they had walked via the normal biped-express on the return journey, and Artemis was able to recognize enough landmarks to make her way towards Wally's neighborhood.

The crunching of the light blue snow underneath her boots was the only noise echoing past the golden streetlamps and dark buildings. She exhaled, and her eyes followed her silver breath to the pearly half-moon illuminating neighboring cirrus clouds that spurred imaginations of white tiger-stripes against a pellet of black. She passed an empty storefront, and caught a glimpse of her hastening reflection—long legs hurrying with determination, haphazard blonde hair shining in the lamplight, and the briefest flash of change in her eyes.

Selflessness in sacrifice was the duty of a superhero, or superheroine. It was the single most important requirement, even above strength, courage, and cunningness. But did being a leader and savior nourish the growth of altruism, or was it the other way around?

Artemis had set out to carry out acts of justice as a way to rebel against her father—to laugh in his face as the skills he had taught her for taking lives were used to save them instead.

But somehow, when she witnessed the reactions of individuals she saved from burglars and robbers and assaulters, the arrows shot from resentment turned into arrows of passion—a passion to right the world of all its wrongs, from abusive fathers who break families to malicious umbrella corporations bent on crushing the integrity from the world.

And then she wondered when had this passion crossed the line into her private life; when had it snuck through the bricks of her walls so here she was, running through arctic temperatures in the middle of the night to comfort a friend?

Artemis arrived at the West's familiar house and mentally mapped out the floor-plan until she picked out Wally's bedroom window. She steadied her crossbow, and shot a grappling line onto the roof. After she felt it tug snugly, she clipped the other end to her belt and began to scale up the wall, praying Wally had no nosy insomniacs as neighbors. When she reached the window's level, she gave it a few soft taps, and waited.

The look on Wally's face when he saw her made Artemis wish she had brought along a camera directly connected to national television.

"Artemis!" he hissed in a low whisper after his face returned to normal. "_What_ are you doing here?"

"Operation: Cheer Up the Walnut—" She slipped the bag of cookies through the window and grabbed onto the windowsill. "—which involves letting me in before I freeze, by the way."

Wally quickly lifted the window pane higher, and Artemis swung herself in and landed on the carpet in a graceful cat-like posture.

"_What_ _are you doing here_?" Wally whispered again.

Artemis stood up and instead of answering, took off her snow-covered boots and rested them on the windowsill. She then unbuttoned her coat, and laid it smoothly over the nearest chair.

"I'm ignoring you because I've already answered that question," she finally replied, before grabbing the bag of cookies from the floor and handing it to him. She sat down on his bed, reached for the familiar silver remote on the nightstand, and leaned back into Wally's pillows. She placed one arm snugly behind her head, and with the other, pointed the remote at the ceiling and soon the dark room was illuminated with glowing periwinkle.

"I—you…what?"

Artemis rolled her eyes slowly towards Wally, and suppressed a laugh at his expression. He was slack-jawed, frowning, and looking very comically confused in a flannel matching pajama set. She didn't notice them at first, but the faint light from the holographic planetarium had unlocked the dark shadows under his eyes, and Artemis's gaze softened.

Underneath all of Wally's jokes, strength, and heroism, there lived just a boy—a fifteen-year-old boy far from perfection and so close to the destruction all around him. It was a side he shielded from the world, like the soft pink belly of a tenacious tiger, but Artemis was privy to his vulnerabilities. She had witnessed it on the beach after Kent Nelson's death, on the streets after their encounter with Cameron, by her bedside after her injury… and then tonight, with him standing in front of her with the fragility of someone who just wants to save a world he has no control over.

Artemis gradually sat up and opened her arms towards him, and without a moment's hesitation, Wally dropped the bag of cookies on the nightstand and accepted her embrace.

Wally always found Artemis's scent to be strangely hypnotizing. The surface notes were always changing—from strawberry to vanilla to lavender—but underneath those top scents, there was always an underlying sugar and spice that both enticed his heart and soothed his breathing. He knew he would never be able to put a name on it, other than just… _Artemis_.

But before Wally could further sink into the warmth of having her in his arms, he felt a sharp tug and the flight of gravity. And with a muffled cry, he found himself swinging over Artemis and onto the bed. He kept his arms secured around her shoulders and they both tumbled into his comforter and pillows with a short burst of surprised laughter.

"Geez Artemis, don't you ever signal before you turn?" he teased, still keeping one arm shamelessly around her torso. Surprisingly, Artemis neither protested the placement of his limb or responded, and merely proceeded to point at and re-christen the swaying constellations above.

"This one is named Bill-less-Duck-With-A-Really-Long-Neck, that one is Fireflies-That-Got-Stuck-In-That-Big-Blueish-Black-Thing, and then if you squint really hard, you'll see the black hole that used to be Wally West's brain—"

Her commentary was cut short with a poke to her side from Wally, and she was forced to squirm and giggle in a very unceremonious manner. She lunged into him to slap away his hand, but only succeeded in closing the sliver of air between them, and when she looked up, the diamond stars were replaced with blazing orbs of emerald (and not rotten-apple-green).

"I just want to remind you," she whispered, "this is Operation: Cheer Up The Walnut, _not_ Operation: Tickle the Girl Who Can Beat You Up With One Hand Tied Behind Her Back."

Wally cocked an eyebrow down at her. He shifted the arm underneath her and lightly tap-danced his fingers down her ribcage. Artemis tightened her jaw and glared at him. He smiled at her, and she suddenly felt an unexpected surge of heat and quickly looked away.

She coughed and then asked into the ceiling, "Um, do you want to hear a fairytale?" She had been planning the story in her mind ever since Wally's comment about his nightly childhood ritual with Jay. She conjured up a past story she had invented in a letter to her mother, and performed a few personal tweaks.

"Mmm, well that's new," Wally replied, reaching over for the bag of cookies and opening them. "Sure, stage's all yours."

Artemis accepted a cookie from him and began, "Once upon a time, in a land filled with peacock-hued forests and majestic purple mountains…

…there lived an old widow and her son. The poor woman was able to feed herself and the boy by weaving the most beautiful brocades anyone has ever seen. From her old wizened hands she would spin fields of flowers the color of vivid gems, seemingly swaying to an invisible breeze under a buttercup sun. Sometimes she would conjure up tales of yore, with fire-breathing dragons clad in scales of ebony and glowing silver, battling young princes on noble ivory steeds. Weaving these brocades was more than a way to get food on the table; it gave the old woman joy in her heart to be able to create such beautiful images. Oftentimes people would gather outside the window of the cottage and marvel at how her imagination would unfold onto tiny strings of simple thread.

One day, an evil witch disguised as a wandering minstrel clad in green walked by the widow's window. She saw the pictures sparkling alive on the loom, and was struck with intense envy. Never in her life had she seen someone with more talent than her, and so in jealousy, stomped her staff on the ground three times, and struck the old widow blind.

The widow was devastated. How would she weave without her sight? How would she feed her son?

"Don't worry," her son told her. "I'll find the Phoenix and its tears will restore your vision."

So the boy shouldered his bag of provisions and boldly set off in search of the mystical bird. On his way through the forest, he met the evil witch disguised as a miner returning from the caves. The witch knew the boy's intentions, and sought to stop him.

"Where are you going, young boy?" The witch asked inquisitively.

"To capture a Phoenix's tears to restore my mother's vision," the boy answered.

"That's too risky," argued the miner. "Here, take this bag of precious jewels and go home instead."

However, the boy declined the offer.

"I must help my mother," he said, and continued down the path, leaving behind the angry witch.

When he came out of the other side of the forest, he was greeted by a bucolic scene of rolling green hills and the scent of apples and cherry blossoms. On either side of the path were quaint cottages filled with dancing and laughing people enjoying tables of food and drink. The evil witch appeared before the boy again, this time disguised as a reveler tumbling out of a front door.

"Hello there!" called the witch to the boy. "And where are _you_ going?"

"To capture a Phoenix's tears to restore my mother's vision," replied the boy.

"How dangerous!" cried the witch. "You should join us instead! We have plenty of food and drink, and the festivities never stop!"

The boy shook his head.

"I must help my mother," he said once more, and continued down the path, leaving behind an even angrier witch.

When he passed the hills of grass, he came upon a rocky mountain. He climbed the mountain, and arrived on the other side in a desert oasis city filled with shimmering bells and clouds of spices. The evil witch, who was becoming more and more frustrated with her failed attempts at stopping the boy, had enchanted the entire city to kneel before the boy when he set foot inside the gate.

The evil witch approached the boy once more, but this time disguised as the king of the city, regaling riding on top an orange tiger.

"My boy!" exclaimed the witch. "You have finally arrived at the kingdom you have been destined to rule. Won't you stop your travels and come claim your rightful crown?"

The boy paused in his tracks, and regarded the disguised witch in silence for a long time. And then just as when the witch thought she had finally tricked the boy into forgetting his mission, the boy held up his hand to decline.

"I must help my mother," he said again, and walked through the city with a firm resolve, leaving behind the witch at her most livid.

When the boy left the city behind him, he came across a dove with her tail-feathers caught underneath a rock. Because his kindness was as strong as his determination, the boy gently freed the bird.

"Thank you so much," said the grateful dove. "I am forever in your debt. Tell me, why are you alone in this desert?"

So the boy told the dove everything, and the bird resolved to help him. She led him to the Phoenix's forest, where they found the golden flaming bird perched on top a tall silver tree. As the Phoenix stared deeply into his eyes, the boy told the majestic bird his desire to aid his mother.

A stretch of silence passed, and the boy almost thought his journey had been for nothing and his mother was going to remain forever blind. But then the Phoenix spread its magnificent jeweled wings, and the heat of its fiery feathers rose into the sapphire sky.

"I have seen your determination," said the Phoenix in a sonorous voice, "as well as your compassion. Your heart is pure, and I will help you. Lead the way."

Overjoyed, the boy ran out of the forest, with the dove and Phoenix flying overhead. When they passed a desert cliff, the witch suddenly appeared before the boy, raging with intense fury. She shrieked like a banshee and threw a dagger at him.

It was too late for the boy to move, and the knife was about to pierce his heart when the Phoenix suddenly swooped down and took the blade instead. Its screech of pain was mixed with the scream of the witch as the brave dove grabbed her hair in her claws and pulled until the witch toppled down the cliff, never to be seen again.

The boy tearfully knelt by the dying Phoenix and watched mournfully as the flames around the bird gradually dimmed until only a pile of ashes remained. The dove returned and perched sadly on the boy's shoulder, eyes downcast. It seemed all hope was lost.

But then suddenly, a burst of fire erupted over the heap of ashes. The shocked boy and dove backed away, and before their astonished eyes, the fire erupted into a cyclone that reached into the purple skies with a boom as loud as thunder. Then with a flash, everything returned to normal, and the Phoenix rose out of the ashes, as glorious as before, its wings alive with the colors of the setting sun.

Then, a burst of light exploded around the dove, and when the glow faded, in the bird's place was a beautiful maiden. She took the boy's hand and explained she had been enchanted to remain a dove until she could help a friend.

The three finally made it back to the village, and one drop of the Phoenix's tears in the widow's eyes cleared her blindness and she woke from darkness to the majestic Phoenix next to her son's smile. The Phoenix nodded once, and flew off into the night sky, a streak of gold against the twinkling stars.

The widow immediately rose and headed to her loom to begin weaving the story of her son, the dove, and the Phoenix. In time, the beautiful maiden and the boy married…

…and they all lived happily ever after," Artemis finally finished.

The hush that oftentimes follows a story fell upon the pair, and the stars surrounding Artemis's vision were beginning to blur before Wally finally made any indication he was still awake.

"I liked it," he concluded. "I actually think it's probably better than any of the stories Jay used to tell me."

A spell of quiescence opposite in temperature of the one post-fairytale lingered between them, and Artemis raised her eyes to study Wally's face. The dust of hollowness had returned, and he refused to meet her gaze. Instead, he busied his fingers with stroking through the tendrils of Artemis's hair, twirling and straightening them in motions that matched his shallow breathing.

"Hey Wally, look at me." The iron in Artemis's voice jerked Wally from his reverie and his eyes locked onto hers. "Jay is going to be okay, alright? And even if he doesn't make it, you're going to be okay." Wally inhaled and opened his mouth, but she continued, "You know how I know you're going to get through this? Because you're strong, Wally. You've gone through so much as Kid Flash—dodging death, saving lives, saving the world—and guess what? Wally West and Kid Flash are the _same person_, and you're both courageous and optimistic heroes. It's going to be hard, but you'll make it. And Jay will _always_ be with you—forever in your heart, and forever in the legacy he started and you carry."

Wally's gaze never faltered throughout Artemis's speech, but when she finished he cast his eyes away again.

"My parents can never be convinced again," he mumbled brokenly to the side, "especially if Jay dies. They'd want me to hang up my costume and leave the Team."

"They don't _mean_ that," Artemis returned. "I may not have the best track record with parents, but I think their number one priority is for their children to be happy right? I mean… my mother worries about me all the time, but I think she trusts me. She doesn't want to, but she has to, and she realizes what keeps me going is something greater than whatever can ever stop me." She paused and grimaced. "Ugh that didn't make sense at all…"

"How old are you?"

Wally's random question caught Artemis off guard, and she mentally fumbled longer than her dignity would ever allow before she answered, "Sixteen."

"But how old do you _feel?_" Wally continued.

"Sometimes a hundred…" Artemis sighed.

"Why?"

"Because I was forced to grow up fast; to take care of myself at a young age; to learn how to take hits and give them; to always be the strongest." She paused, and then added dully, "And…because scar tissue always makes you older."

"Have you ever wanted a do-over?" Wally wondered out loud.

Artemis thought for a minute, and tried to picture herself in Wally's shoes—a picturesque home with two picturesque parents living the picturesque family life—and wondered what type of person she would be today. Would she be just as tough, stubborn, and knowledgeable? Would she still have wanted to push herself into the daily sacrifice of being a protector against crime? Would having everything she's never had sacrifice everything she's become?

"No," she finally answered, "because everything I went through—even the bad, and _especially_ the bad—has made me who I am today." A small smile crept over her lips and she turned to catch Wally's curious gaze. "And I'm _damn_ proud of who I am today." She returned the question to Wally. "What about you? Especially after what your parents had said? Would you still have wanted to become Kid Flash if you could go back in time?"

"Absolutely," Wally answered almost immediately. "Becoming Kid Flash has been the best thing that's ever happened to me." He turned to face Artemis and the edge of his lips turned upwards just the slightest amount. His arm instinctively tightened just a little bit around her. _Well, one of the best things that's ever happened to me_, he thought.

One last cloud of silence drifted over them like a down comforter, and sleep was beginning its gradual fuzzy claim on Artemis when suddenly a thought materialized. She opened her eyes and after contemplating whether Wally was already asleep or not, finally spoke.

"Hey Wally?" she whispered.

"Yeah?" he answered and shifted to face her.

"Just out of curiosity," Artemis began, "what made you—never mind, it's not important." She pursed her lips and mentally waved the thought away.

"No, tell me, I wanna know."

Artemis glanced away.

"It's really okay…"

But Wally insisted, and propped himself on his elbow and leaned over until he caught her gaze.

"_Arty_."

Artemis sighed and rolled her eyes.

"If I tell you, will you stop calling me that?"

"I thought you liked it?" Wally teased with a grin.

"Whatever, Walrus," she retorted, and then continued slowly and deliberately choosing her words at a snail's pace. "Um… just wondering… why you…chose to call… _me_. And not Robin. I mean…he knows you the best…right?"

"We-e-ll," Wally drew out the word in pretend-contemplation and leaned back down, "I just figured it's high time for you to have a few chances to earn some points of your own."

Artemis snorted.

"So what was this? Five points?"

"Three," he corrected her, "since the cookies were cold, and we didn't look at actual stars."

"But I ran through the snow!" she argued. "And told you a fairytale!"

"Okay, how about three-and-a-half."

Artemis stared at him with a blank expression.

"Hey, it's more than you ever gave me at once!" he continued to argue.

"Fine." She closed her eyes again and relaxed into the bed once more. "Can I redeem them for you to stop calling me Arty?"

Wally grinned and shut off the overhead stars with his remote. They were blanketed in soothing darkness and he lightly nudged his head against hers.

"Not a chance, Arty."

**Central City  
>January 2, 7:58 CDT<strong>

Sometime during the night, Jay had miraculously woken from his coma with alert eyes and active limbs. The doctors were astounded, but mysterious recovery aside, everyone was elated. Joan had waited until morning to inform the Allen's and West's, and upon hearing the news, Mary had practically pulled a speedster in making her way to Wally's room.

She also wanted to apologize. She knew how much it meant for Wally to follow in the footsteps of Jay and Barry, and she was proud of her son for his acts of selflessness. Not many mothers of teenage boys could boast about a superhero son, but every mother worries about the safety of their child. However, she realized her baby boy with the chummy smile and dimpled cheeks was growing up, and it was time to let him run on his own winged feet.

Her hand rested on the door knob for a few contemplative seconds before slowly turning it to let a sliver of light sneak into her son's room. She leaned her head in, and wordlessly took in the scene of Wally sleeping with Artemis in his arms.

She frowned, and was about to barge her way in with lectures when a gentle smile found its way onto her face. The smile turned into a soft chuckle, and she carefully shut the door before heading down the stairs to make breakfast for four.

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><p><strong>AN:** My apologies for not getting a chance to reply to review from Chapter 11! I've been scrambling to get this chapter up, and I was also out of town for a few days. I'll get to the replies soon!

Up next—the **zoo!** Please bear with me as that's going to be a really long chapter, and I desperately need to update my other fics as well. Thank you! And thanks for reading!

**EDIT:** Okay I'm about at wit's end with this: I **know** Artemis is younger than Wally in the show, but **I planned this story WAY before "Coldhearted"**, so in this story, **Artemis is older**. Okay? Now I'm going to go through and delete all the reviews that are telling me this.


	13. Wonderland

**A/N:** Sorry about the hiatus! Real-life happens.

Happy Valentine's Day! :)

Also, I'm changing around my writing style (namely dialogue and paragraphs) because even though both are "correct", this version is more aesthetically pleasing. I'll also be slowly updating this style on previous chapters as time goes on.

_Disclaimer:_ I've never been to the San Diego Zoo, so pardon me while I take on author-freedom to the max and make almost everything up. I tried to stick with the zoo-map, but then I gave up. Also, I do not own Young Justice, and am in no way affiliated to any type of zoo.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_  
><strong>XIII. Wonderland<strong>  
><em>Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left open.<em>  
>- John Barrymore<p>

* * *

><p><strong>San Diego<br>January 14, 9:21 PST**

Artemis stepped out of the taxi and was nearly bulldozed by a group of running children, followed by a group of running adults as they tried to control their cacophonous brood.

"I've never been to the zoo before."

Her admittance was blurted out before she could filter it. It was an experience that was becoming more common when Wally was in her vicinity. Gone were the days of hiding her thoughts, and peeking through were the moments when the need to darken her windows was nimbly dissipating.

"Really?" Wally replied as he looked at her incredulously over the taxi's roof. "Never _ever?_ Not even as like…a field trip during elementary school?"

Artemis shrugged, but instead of looking away to emphasize any pity, she grinned at him and answered, "Guess I'm just always full of surprises."

Wally's smile evolved into a beam and he fanned out two tickets in front of her. "Same here! Merry Christmas! Actually, present from Joan," he explained as he handed one to Artemis. "She insisted on paying for our tickets. She's absolutely in love with you. I think she'd adopt you if she could, and spend all day with you making scrapbooks with my embarrassing baby photos."

Artemis laughed and accepted the ticket. "_You?_ Embarrassing photos? Preposterous!" Her words couldn't have been drooling with more sarcasm.

The smile remained on Wally's face. "I know right?" he responded, tagging along with the wisecracking train.

Artemis looked down at her ticket, and a panda in mid-chew stared back coolly. It was just a piece of paper from someone who seemed to care for her out of the goodness of her heart; just a trip to a place she's never been before; just a normal Saturday in January with a boy who had slowly evolved into becoming her best friend, so why was there a bubbling feeling in her chest that was in danger of erupting as tears?

"Tell her thank you," she murmured, still staring at the ticket. "This was very nice of her."

There was a brief pressure around her shoulder, but when she looked up, Wally was already gesturing for her to get in line with him. She noticed he was wearing the brown jacket she had gotten him for Christmas, and she was thrilled to note her feverish hours of mental imaging had paid off. The earthy tone brought out his eyes and his hair without rendering his cheery complexion shallow. The collar gave him a surprising tone of sophistication, and overall he exuded waves of warmth. Her eyes also lingered on his black finger-less gloves, and she had to forcibly shove away the sudden desire for his hands and arms to find their way to her waist…

She coughed, and joined him with a clean slate of expressions.

"Caught you staring," Wally leaned in to whisper as the line inched towards the zoo's entrance.

Artemis rolled her eyes at him and scoffed, and tried to ignore the close proximity of his lips to her ears. "I would have taken a picture, but I didn't want my phone to jump off a cliff," she retorted, raising her head towards him.

"If it does, I'll be sure to catch it."

"Exactly why I don't want to take a picture in the first place."

"Ha," Wally chuckled, finally straightening, "one of these days I'll win."

"I wouldn't count on that, bro," came a deep voice from behind. Wally and Artemis turned around to see a college couple smiling back at them. The young man who had spoken had his arm around a beautiful petite blonde, and gave her a squeeze as he continued. "Been dating Arie here for over three years, and she _never_ lets me win."

Arie laughed and playfully shoved her boyfriend's torso. "Oh shut up, Damian, that's not true." She then turned to Wally and Artemis. "So how long have you two been together?" she inquired amiably.

Before the two could even begin to swallow their surprise, Damian cut through. "Let me guess: 'forever', huh?" He nodded at them knowingly. "That's what _everyone_ says. You two definitely act like it."

Artemis was about to retort with "What is _that_ supposed to mean?" when Arie interrupted.

"Hey! I think I know you!" she exclaimed as she stared more intently at Wally. "You're Kid Flash, aren't you? The Flash's sidekick?" She then turned her wide eyes to Artemis, and gasped again. "And I've seen you with Green Arrow!"

Simultaneous alarms shrilled in both Wally and Artemis's heads. Secret identities were still priority alpha in the land of vigilantes, and _especially_ with their current spread of villains. Code red, code red!

Wally answered first, feigning surprise mixed with a precise measurement of bashfulness. "Me? Kid Flash? Whoa there. I know I'm good-looking, but not _that_ good-looking. And then as for Cassandra here—" It was the first name that had popped into Wally's mind, followed by his first thought of action: he placed an arm around Artemis's waist and pulled her in, and then looked at her fondly. "—well I think she's _way_ prettier than Green Arrow's sidekick."

Artemis giggled shrilly, a telling indication of her nervousness. Her mind was holding contradictory thoughts over her gaze; she wanted to look away, but sometimes the force-fields of magnets are difficult to part. She would be lying if she said she wasn't enjoying the feeling of his arm around her, the pressure of his fingers on her abdomen, and the delicate scintillation in his eyes, drawing her in until she almost remained silent for a second too long.

"Well, Jason, I'm glad you find me prettier than _Speedy_," she finally volleyed back with good humor. She played along with him and wrapped her arms around his neck, and turned to Arie and Damian with an apologetic smile. "Sometimes he forgets I'm not a guy," she whispered, loosening an arm to pat Wally's chest, and with each contact of her hand with his jacket, her mind rejoiced with confetti and cheers of "MUSCLE MUSCLE MUSCLE!"

Arie's eyebrows slowly furrowed together. "I could have sworn," she stammered, "you two—"

Wally laughed, and Artemis could feel the deep sound waves travel from his vocal chords into her hand and through every hyper-sensitive crevice of her body.

"Oh nah," he declined. "We get that a lot. We're definitely _not_ superheroes—"

"—but we _are_ flattered by that notion," Artemis finished.

Instead of refuting, Damian's smile broadened. "Look at that! They're even finishing each other's sentences. _Definitely_ 'forever'."

Artemis felt her cheeks flush a ripe shade of incarnadine. Thankfully however, they had finally reached the entrance's security check-point, and everyone was distracted with emptying their pockets and presenting their tickets. They were waved through the metal detector one and by one, and Artemis was surprised to feel Wally's arm return to their position around her when she emerged on the other side. She turned and caught the farewell waves of Arie and Damian as they walked away, and with a shocking urge of disappointment, understood his previous movement was only to keep up their little act. But before she could silently berate her emotions, she felt his arm trail away at a tortuously reluctant pace, and soon Wally was walking backwards in front of her.

"You are in luck," he announced, "as I have been assigned to be your grand tour-guide!" He spread his arms wide to present the entire park, and then began gesturing around with grandiose motions. "If you look to your left, you'll see a beautifully crafted trash-can. And if you look to your right, you'll be able to witness the cotton-candy maker in her natural habitat! And then if you stare straight ahead, you'll see the most handsome, funny, witty, and all-around-amazing guy in the world!" He stared at Artemis with half-lidded eyes and jollity written all over his expression.

Artemis squinted and brought a hand to shield her eyes. "Where?" she pondered out loud. "I only see the biggest eyesore in this zoo."

"Either you're lying," Wally snorted, "or you just caught a glimpse of yourself off the refle_ction_ of my perfe_ction_."

It was a lame comeback (attempt at snazzy rhyming aside), and Wally knew it, because "eyesore" was the furthest description of Artemis right now. In fact, if her physical appearance was the sun, Planet Eyesore would be currently 13.2 billion light years away, chilling silently with the furthermost galaxy captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.

Her lips were tinted a shade of pretty; her inquisitive eyes framed with quick feathery lashes. Her ponytail swayed continuously as she took in all the sights around her, and the chardonnay strands glistened over her navy-blue pea-coat like strings of jewels over velvet. Wally's eyes dropped on their own accord to take in her shorts and chestnut leather boots that rose over her legs to clasp just below the knee. It seemed Artemis wanted to take full advantage of their mini-vacation away from the snippy winters of the East Coast—a notion Wally's hormones fully supported.

However, his weren't the only approving hormones in the park. As Wally turned to glance behind them, he noticed a herd of boys around their age, their eyes shamelessly slithering up and down Artemis's body. It was more than enough to make Wally's skin crawl, and even though he wanted nothing more than to deliver a pack of super-speedy-punches to each of their smirking faces, he settled for a threatening glare.

As he turned back around, he placed a hand over the small of Artemis's back in an attempt to both suggest a path, and to satisfy the sudden uprising of his natural protective instinct. He was sure the rascals saw the gesture; he could feel their eyes still glued to Artemis, and wondered how she was so oblivious. But one brief glance at her face answered his inquisitions.

_Childlike_—the only word Wally could find to accurately describe her expression—feathered with the pink tints of innocence and pure unadulterated fun Artemis had grown too fast and too soon to have ever experienced.

He had only seen such an expression once—at the park when they were playing with Finnegan, the lost puppy, and she had laughed and sparkled with vulnerability and joy. All other times, the glints in her eyes were either spiked with iron, dancing with fire, or cast faraway and lost like a buoy in fog. Wally then decided that however much he liked the other facets of her soul, he actually truly loved seeing her be nothing but…happy.

And just then, Artemis turned her happy eyes and happy smile at him, and his thoughts evaporated as he switched his focus back outwards.

"So, tour guide," she chirped, "where to first?"

Wally whipped out a map from his back pocket and unfolded it with a dramatic flourish, and angled it towards her so she could follow the path his finger traced. "Well, m'lady Arty, I suggest we start down this path and just go wherever the winds take us."

Artemis followed him, and at a point in-between visually swallowing all the carousels, balloons, and ecstatically waving palm leaves, she closed her eyes for a brief moment. In that single second of blindness, she allowed her other senses to unfurl their wings and absorb the warm sunshine and feathery breeze. She inhaled deeply, and the bouquets of popcorn and grass and fur whirled through her chest cavity and imagination. She could hear the calls and chortling of children and adults, the breathy snapping of cameras, and the distant bays and warbles of animals offering sneak-peeks of their majesty. She tucked away this small droplet of frozen time deep into her heart—a sparkling coin for rainy days.

"This is _definitely_ the happiest place I've _ever_ been to," she admitted when she opened her eyes.

"Then just wait until I take you to Disneyland sometime," Wally answered enthusiastically. "It's like this amount of happiness to the nth-power, where 'n' equals the logarithmic growth of the number of people present at the park times the number of smiles."

Artemis felt a few mental pom-poms being thrown around at the mentioning of experiencing another new activity with Wally. The thought thrilled her so much she forgot to tease his nerdy remark, as well as fail to notice his sideways glance of shock at the absence of such rib-jabbing.

The first animal exhibit came into view among tall trees and playful cries. They walked up the wooden ramp, and Artemis's first zoo-encounter consisted of a spider-monkey jumping onto an enclosure rope a few arms' length from her. In her surprise, she almost knocked backwards into Wally with her fists automatically clenched.

"Whoa there, Arty," Wally replied amidst chuckling and steadying her shoulders with his hands. "Are you sure you're not Supes in disguise?"

She didn't respond, but relaxed her stance and mentally counted to ten with one deep inhale. With her hyper-activated attention, she could see the distinctions between the little primate's red and black fur, down to its fine eyelashes framing two inquisitive brown orbs. It swung to and fro, and chirped loudly before bounding back to the other monkeys.

"Speaking of…" Wally's voice trailed into an impish grin and he raised his phone level to the swinging animals.

"Let me guess," Artemis began before he continued: "Sending a picture to Conner?"

He snorted, and his phone buzzed a response almost immediately.

"I hate monkeys," Conner had typed to no one's surprise.

"I heard you and Robin got him one of those cymbal-clapping monkeys for Christmas," Artemis mentioned as they walked to the next animal exhibit. "How'd that go?"

Wally laughed. "He broke down in tears and hugged both of us tightly, claiming it was what he's always wanted his entire life, and by that I mean he raged until we gave him his real gift."

"And since you and Robin are still very much alive, I can safely assume it wasn't primate-related?"

"We got him Superman-pajamas, and told him the Man of Steel wears the same ones to bed each night."

Artemis rolled her eyes and unfurled a long sigh. _Man-culture._

"Hey look!" Wally exclaimed as the next enclosure came into view. "It's Arty the Aardvark!"

Artemis craned her neck and swept her gaze from one end of the desert corral to the other. "I don't see any termites," she observed out-loud before turning to Wally and continued huskily. "That must be one _hell_ of a party you're throwing then."

They managed to hold each other's knowing gaze for only a second before memories resurfaced and their faces cracked into laughter.

"Worst day at school _ever_," Wally concluded when their chuckles subsided.

"Calling me _'Arty'_ will only bring you _more_ pain," Artemis responded in a sing-song voice.

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, _Arty_."

Artemis widened her eyes menacingly and made a move to hit him, but he laughed and slipped away to the next exhibit.

Of all the pleasing sounds she could list—bird chirps, flowing water, dulcet cello melodies—her soaring favorite was the sound of Wally's loud and goofy laughter. Every giggle and guffaw was a ripple of happiness that permeated not only as air waves, but little tickles of joy through her psyche as well. She loved making him laugh—because when he was happy, so was she.

She found him hanging over the edge of a wooden bridge, concentrating on the jade river beneath. He leaned over the railing and pointed at the creatures that had snatched his attention.

"Turtles are awesome," he commented. "Sometimes I wish I were a turtle."

"Really? You?" Artemis scoffed. "The fastest boy on earth wants to be one of the slowest creatures on earth?"

"Turtles are _badass_," Wally defended.

"And slow," the blonde pointed out.

"But they're _adorable_."

"Not if _you_ became one."

Wally coughed in pretend pain. "Ouch, Arty," he choked out. "Now that would have stung if it was the truth, but I know you're lying."

"_Me?_ _Lie _about your good looks?" Artemis sputtered with fake indignation as she finished crossing the bridge. "Never!"

The speedster followed her while shaking his head and chuckling quietly to himself.

They leisurely strolled past the exhibits, pausing to regard each creature with awe. Wally especially enjoyed spouting random facts about the animals—the origin of their name, the special needs of its environment, why certain groups of people worshiped its unique attributes—and Artemis listened and nodded along with captured fascination. Each animal seemed more intriguing than the last, coaxing forth every man and woman's desire of towering mountains and sun droplets on forest floors, of moments when butterflies and hawks wouldn't shy away, and of the endless possibilities of sunrise.

Drawn by forces known and unknown, they paused the longest at the tiger enclosure, a habitat of jungle and veneration.

"I think tigers are the most beautiful creatures," spoke Wally.

Artemis turned to him. "Why's that?" she inquired.

"I mean, just look at them," he gestured. "Their brilliant coat, all that potential energy stored in their muscles ready to tear out another beast's throat, all that stately power… but then they could flop over on their side and start licking their paws like a house-cat. Majestic, fierce, unpredictable—you can't help but fall in love with that combination."

Artemis leaned her elbows against the banister and gazed silently at the large orange cat bathing in the sun. It held its neck regally erect and squinted its eyes at the onlookers, as if daring one of them to intrude upon its reverie.

She peeked sideways at Wally, and was especially taken in with his expression. He was entranced by the tiger—his thoughts sambaing through its stripes and muscles, his unblinking gaze enrapt by the fiery orange like the thirsty drawn to water. After a long while, he turned to her and mused, "If you're ever tired of using your real name as your superhero alias, you should go by Tigress."

Artemis looked away but the simper still remained on her face. "Oh?" she replied. "Why's that?"

"Because I think if you were an animal, you'd be a tiger."

A warm chill blew through her chest as his earlier words echoed in her mind. _Majestic, fierce, unpredictable—you can't help but fall in love with that combination. _However, maintaining sarcastic apathy, she turned back to him and raised an eyebrow and responded, "And you'd be a turtle?"

The connection to her previous teasing made him laugh. "And together we'd be the Terrible T's!"

Wally enthusiastically raised a hand for a hi-five, and after snorting at his _creative_ creation, Artemis gave him the satisfaction of delivering such a lame joke. When their hands met, their palms and fingers remained touching for a second too long, and the feeling of unfamiliar longing singed through their nerves. They hastily dropped their arms and eyes, and both pretended the hiccup never occurred.

"Um, shall we?" Wally quickly suggested as he gestured to the exit path.

"Yes!" Artemis answered with an overdose of gusto. "To the wolves!"

They trotted across the concrete path to the rocky dwelling of the wolves in silence, each trying to find a distraction from their thoughts.

It was a fairly large pack of eight animals, all scattered around the enclosure and at every degree of activity. As the two observed them, a few uncanny comparisons of the Team came to mind.

"Is it just me," Artemis mused, "or do those two remind you of M'gann and Conner?"

Wally followed the nod of the archer's chin and laughed. "The ones practically hugging each other during their nap?"

"Obnoxiously cute, huh?"

"Oh look," Wally pointed. "There's Robin, obviously trolling and flirting with Zee."

"I'm guessing the pair snarling and barking at each other is us."

"It's so accurate it hurts."

"Is that Kaldur at the top of the hill looking disapprovingly at everyone?"

"Who's the one sulking in the corner?"

"Roy, _obviously_."

As the two laughed and snapped pictures of the wolves, Wally caught a familiar group of colors out of the edge of his vision. He quickly glanced, and then internally winced. It was that group of boys from the zoo entrance—the same ones who had uncouthly clawed their eyes over his best friend's body, and were currently leering and whispering among themselves while plundering glances at the bare skin between Artemis's shorts and boots.

Wally immediately squared his shoulders and stepped between their lines of vision. One of the boys caught his glare, and nudged his friends. Then they all stuck their tongues at him, and turned around with sneering howls and barks. Thankfully, there was a concurrent blast like a trumpet emitted from the corral next to the wolves, and both the canines and Artemis turned their heads at the noise and away from the retreating boys. Wally was grateful for a reason to lead her away, and they left to examine the source.

The fanfare revealed itself to be two elephants gamboling about their home with a giant soccer ball. By the time Artemis and Wally arrived, the display had drawn a bustling crowd. But with the speedster's knack for seeing opportunities, and the archer's city street-smarts, the two managed to zig-zag and squeeze to the front. Wally arrived at the metal handrail first, and pulled Artemis to the space in front of him. The tight spot resulted in the inevitable touching of back to chest and ponytail to neck, which soon combined with Wally's desire to grab the banister with both hands, and Artemis found herself completely—and protectively—surrounded on all three sides.

Artemis used her focus on the elephants as a distraction from concentrating on every fiber in her body that was connected to the boy behind her. The sensation of strange euphoria was similar to their fake relationship-acting in front of Damian and Arie—she could feel his breath against her hair, along with every quiver of his laughter and speech dart down her spine and branch out into her ribs. His scent of blithe cologne mingled with the solid incense of earth blanketed her against the world, and despite the jostling of the crowds around her and the joust of the elephants before her, her aura remained tranquil. Her daydreaming was only broken when Wally freed one hand to record a video of the playful animals.

"Sending this to Rob," he explained, his voice reverberating down Artemis's body.

She tipped her head upwards and cocked her neck towards his voice. "His favorite animal is an elephant?"

Wally tapped a few buttons on his phone and extended a pensive smile. "Something like that," he responded gingerly.

Artemis didn't question his serious expression and tone, and turned back to the elephants. She knew that if Wally didn't want to reveal the secrets of a mystery, it was best not to pry. He would tell her if he chose, and she respected that.

As far as attention spans go, the two elephants seem to have merged their concentration with a goldfish's, and quickly abandoned the soccer ball to stand placidly while staring into nothingness. Then, much to Artemis's dismay, as soon as the crowds dispersed, so did Wally's body heat as he released the railing and stepped back. She swiveled around to observe him, and grabbed onto the railing behind her and swung gaily to and fro.

"You'd make a great addition to their monkey exhibit," Wally teased, the shimmer returning to his eyes.

Artemis tactically pretended not to hear and nudged her chin at the field across from them. Wally turned to see a languid duo of rhinoceroses leisurely chewing away at their brunch.

"Ah, the critically endangered northern white rhinoceros with only four left in the wild," he noted. "Six are held in captivity, two of which are before us munching on grass."

Both of them fell silent as they watched the armored beasts, seemingly ingenuous to the perils of their kind.

"What would you do if you were one of the few humans left in the world?" Artemis asked suddenly.

Wally didn't respond right away, and the memory of their alien invasion training session with M'gann crept its tendrils into his mind. He remembered the speech he gave, but he also remembered other more _anguishing_ moments, and his eyes darted to Artemis.

"Rebuild and survive I guess," he finally answered, certain words echoing certain memories. "I think your instinct to continue your species would kick in."

"And what if you were being poached to extinction?"

"Outsmart the bad guys, fight back, and win." He tried not to picture the expression on Robin's face right before the explosion.

"You're optimistic," Artemis noted.

Wally shrugged and grinned smugly. "Hey, comes with the ego I guess." He nudged her arm gently and volleyed the same question. "How about you? What would you do?"

"The same thing," she replied, recalling the invasion of Mt. Justice by Red Torpedo and Red Inferno and how her burst of courage had surpassed her trembles of hopelessness. "Get traught, or get dead."

The phrase culled a laugh from Wally. "Rob would be so proud."

They continued past the animals until a three-way fork in the road stalled their momentum. Wally slapped his pockets for the folded map, but Artemis grabbed his sleeve jacket and made a beeline for the Polar Rim exhibit.

"Whoa—!" he exclaimed, the rescued map flapping in his hand. "Alrighty then."

Artemis wove through the indoor crowds until surfacing at the penguin exhibit, a dimly lit room that radiated blue from the water behind a large panorama of glass. Behind this glass, penguins splashed and swam, trailing silver bubbles like birthday balloons.

Why Artemis was so fascinated by the penguins, Wally couldn't guess, but once she had entered the large viewing room, she had found a quiet spot against the glass and stayed there with silent fixation. Her features melted into a rare softness until it was difficult to discern this was the same girl who could start a fire with her tongue.

He randomly glanced over his shoulder, and with a flare of annoyance, saw the same group of boys again. They must have unashamedly followed them. He looked back at Artemis, who was smiling sweetly at the penguins floating by her and oblivious to the four pairs of eyes boring unabashedly into her. While he gazed at her rare intemerate calm and heard the snickers behind him, his primal instincts began fomenting more fiercely than ever before.

He took a step towards Artemis and whispered into her ear, "Please don't freak out, but trust me on this and just play along okay?"

Before Artemis could give him a questioning look, she felt one of his arms wrap around her waist and pull her towards him. "Wally?" she asked alarmingly as she placed her hands against his chest. "What—"

"Shh," he replied softly, and to quiet her, his other hand gently laid her head into his shoulder, facing away from the still smirking herd of immature boys. He lowered his head and breathed into her hair. "Creeps at nine o'clock."

He was worried for a second that she would push him away and slap him, and lecture him until his ears bled about being independent and handling her own, but he felt the tension leave her body, and she tentatively brought her arms around his waist, moving them closer. This startled him, and his heart beats quickened in spite of any advanced self-control he could have possibly possessed. Artemis must have sensed this change, and looked up into his eyes. Her lips sculpted into a smooth smile.

"Whoa there, Speedster," she murmured. "I thought this was all pretend?"

He leaned in closer, and was enveloped by a swirl of citrus, green apples, jasmine, and amber, mixed with an indescribable musky scent—playful, feminine, exotic… _erotic_.

"Then _pretend_ that didn't bother you," he whispered huskily.

Artemis tilted her head, and the blue glow from the penguin pool reflected in her eyes like a polished mirror. "I never said it bothered me," she replied in the same tone.

She could feel his warmness radiate through her coat. He smelled like laundry detergent and emerald forests. His face was only a breath apart, and she could count all the freckles on his cheeks, and see surprising flecks of gold in his green irises even in the dim lighting of the exhibit. Wally stared back, mesmerized by her eyes like a moth caught in candlelight.

"Creepsters still there?" she asked, her voice so low and soft it almost blended in with the deep splashes beyond the thick pane of aquarium glass.

He gradually shifted his gaze to stare out the corner of his eyes, and then quickly returned to the pull of her endless grey orbs. He sighed and looked at her apologetically, but with a hint of mirth.

"I'm afraid so."

"Drats." She brought her hand to the back of his head and her fingers sifted through his downy hair. "I _really_ want to go see the polar bears…"

An electrifying shiver ran down Wally's spine at her touch and he opened his mouth to inhale sharply. Suddenly, he felt a light pressure from her hand as she pulled him down, and brought her lips to his. He was stunned for half a second, before relaxing and parting his lips to match her movements, feeling her softness and tasting the peppermint on her lip balm. His eyes fluttered closed, and suddenly his body felt like it was on fire, and he pressed back harder. His hands tightened their grip on her waist, and he heard her gasp.

And then without warning, Artemis pulled away, and the feeling of her warm lips was replaced with a tingle of cold. He drew in a long breath of air and his eyes snapped open to find her staring impishly back at him.

"I think," Wally finally said breathlessly, "they're gone."

Artemis smiled, and slowly rose up on her toes to whisper in his ear, "And that's what I call a fake-out-make-out." She lowered herself, and then added, "Oh, and if you ever even mention this to Robin, or Zatanna, or anyone else for that matter… I will shave off all of your ridiculously soft hair and cut off both of your muscular arms, are we clear?"

Wally's eyes smoldered back with his response, "Crystal clear, Miss Peppermint Chapstick."

It was weird, Artemis thought, remembering the tingle and press of their lips together. But it was a surreal aspect of strange; not wholly focused on the foreign; and definitely not revolving around the unwanted. This was a facet from her fantasy; a snippet of those daydreams that occur in the minutes before sleep where she would envision the perfect dream for her life—with the perfect family, the perfect purpose, and the perfect boy. In the past, the face of this perfect boy has been one of rippling ambiguity—a reflection of her reality. But recently, his features had gradually revealed themselves to be a pair of scintillating green eyes, laughing cheeks dotted with freckles, and locks of auburn as soft as air puffs. In those private corners of her mind, Artemis had whirled together scenarios of "what if"s between her and Wally, only to wave them off with a sad flick of perspective. Who was she kidding, she used to think, there's no way he thinks of me like that.

But then that kiss happened. Fake-out-make-out or not, the electric fire she had felt was not from her imagination; it was as real as his hungry hold and his yearning lips—the manifestations of their desire for each other.

Her trip to Cloud Nine was short-lived however, and soon the grappling hook of unanswered questions zipped her back down to earth. Was her spur-of-the-moment action going to complicate their friendship? So far, neither had looked the other in the eye during their walk to the polar bears, and she couldn't discern if the tense silence between them was from anticipation or relish.

She swept her gaze in a panoramic view of the polar bear exhibit on the pretense of eyeing Wally's side-profile. Instead, her plans felt short as she was immediately drawn to his eyes staring right back. When their gaze connected, Wally's forehead muscles contracted minutely in surprise, and he immediately switched his attention to the snowy bear behind the glass.

"Oh hey." He lightly nudged Artemis to avert her attention. "He looks like he's dancing."

The polar bear in the exhibit was standing upright on its hind legs, and had taken to moving around its front paws on a whim, drawing out laughter and camera flashes from the spectators. The rare and comical scene was extremely welcomed by Wally and Artemis, and the well-timed humor broke away whatever barrier had emerged between them.

Artemis turned back to Wally and flashed him a smile, but soon morphed into a nervous lip-bite.

Alarmed, Wally asked, "What's wrong?"

"Eh, nothing," Artemis answered with an averted gaze. "Just hoping those guys don't return because I really don't want to deal with people like them today."

"Hey, I'm sure our, um, show, drove the point home," he replied.

This didn't seem to calm the expression on Artemis's face, and it gave Wally a reason to worry over her sudden state of dependence. Her usual course of action would have been to brush the incident off, and emerge emotionally victorious as usual. Had she really been so vulnerable on the inside all along? It then dawned upon him that Artemis—with her svelte figure, eye-catching golden hair, and ferally beautiful face—must receive deluges of unwanted male attention in the seedy streets of Gotham. She may have the power to knock cold any man in that city, but the verbal sneers probably never cease their paranoid haunting.

With such a conclusion, his yearning to take care of her intensified once more, and he stepped closer. "Those boys won't come near you again, I promise," he reassured her, and wrapped one arm loosely around her waist. When she didn't protest, he tightened his embrace and she scooted into him.

"If Damian and Arie thought we were a couple, then it shouldn't be too hard to keep acting like one for the rest of the day, right?" Wally reasoned.

"And that would keep them away?" Artemis pressed, her tone woven with slivers of doubt.

Wally shrugged, and tried not to sound too eager. "It's worth a shot."

Artemis's willpower to debate with him was losing its grip the longer Wally's hold on her waist became. Soon, her retort evanesced completely as a comfortable sigh of fog against the exhibit's wintry glass.

It wasn't difficult for the pair to pretend to be a couple. Every embrace, every moment of hand-holding, and every stolen glance came as easily as sunshine on the savannah. Their arms naturally found each other's curves, their fingers intertwined without hesitation, and the satin sparkles in their eyes and pink flush on their cheeks indicated nothing short of two lovers lost in their own world.

And Wally was in heaven. Pretend or not, this opportunity to be so physically close to Artemis was all he had ever dreamed about ever since he realized she wasn't really a she-devil in disguise, but someone who had snatched his heart into a roller-coaster cradle. He understood reality would creep forth when the day was over—the need to act like a couple would fade with the setting sun—but he shoved the thought away like a sweater in an overstuffed suitcase. His speedster-mindset told him to live in the moment, and he did just that. To him, every one of Artemis's smiles, touches, and peals of laughter was real, and nothing existed in the world except them.

* * *

><p>"Hey." Wally turned to Artemis with epiphany written from his raised eyebrows to his ivory teeth. "Have you ever fed a giraffe?"<p>

"I've never even _seen_ a giraffe in real life."

Wally laughed. "A simple 'no' would have worked."

"I'm more of the _creative_ type," Artemis replied with a grin.

Feeding giraffes, Artemis discovered, involved holding a bouquet of large, green leaves, climbing up to a wooden observation deck, and being greeted by eager giraffes whose heads were probably larger than her entire upper body.

And it was _great_.

The giraffe she fed was surprisingly patient. It batted its luxurious eyelashes at her, and gently curled its tongue around the leaf to slide it out of her hand. And then, whether from being trained or simply due to its calm nature, leaned its brown and beige head towards her to be scratched. She gingerly reached over and smoothed down its rough fur, until it buckled against her hand and stuck out its tongue to be fed more.

Wally, however, had the luck of being paired with a more spirited giraffe that insisted on a continuous stream of leaves on penalty of having his hands slobbered on.

"Okay okay I'm handing you the leaves as fast as I can, geez," he repeated over and over.

There was a light tap on Artemis's shoulder, and she turned to see one of the zoo workers smiling at her with a camera in hand.

"Excuse me," he spoke, "would you and your boyfriend like to have your pictures taken with the giraffes?"

She was about to correct his mistake on Wally's given title, but remembered their arrangement and stopped herself.

"Sure," she replied affably, and then called Wally over. He moved to her side at the first beckoning of his name.

"Yes, Beautiful?" he cooed as he hooked an arm around her waist.

There was never going to be a moment when his steadfast gaze and inviting smile wouldn't melt the fringes of Artemis's heart. In a perfect world, he would always look at her like he did just now—attentive, caring, and with the smallest hint of longing.

"Smile for the camera," she prompted him as she rested one hand against his chest.

"_Such_ an adorable pair," the photographer clucked away as he snapped the photos. "You two would make _the_ most _gorgeous_ children."

Artemis's eyebrows twitched upwards, and she felt Wally stiffen and release a nervous laugh.

"But we're only fif—" Wally choked on his retort and instead unleashed a high-pitched squeal. He darted away while feverishly batting at his head and nearly ran into the photographer, who was doing a horrible job at concealing his laughter.

Amused yet also greatly confused, Artemis turned to her side and received an eye-full of giraffe. The animal was gleefully lolling around its tongue and winking its eyelashes at Wally.

"It's not even the same color as the leaves!" the speedster wailed, rubbing his jacket sleeve vigorously through his hair.

Artemis clutched the banister with one hand and her stomach with the other as she almost doubled over from laughing. "I… really hope… you got that," she said to the chuckling photographer in between guffaws.

The photographer gestured towards the honeycomb of computer screens lining one wall of the observation deck, and Artemis walked towards them. It showed a slideshow of all the pictures the giraffe-photographer had taken that day, and sure enough, the center screen displayed a smiling Wally and Artemis with a photo-bombing and curious giraffe readying itself for a lick of the unsuspecting boy's hair.

"I am _definitely_ going to send a copy of that to Joan," Artemis declared.

* * *

><p>Wally could hardly feel his abdominal muscles from laughing so hard. They had just finished lunch, but still remained at their secluded picnic table to digest both their food and Artemis's regalement of what might be the funniest moment in the history of Mt. Justice.<p>

"And then—" Artemis wheezed between tears, "Red Tornado—" At the mention of the android and how his unemotional reaction to the situation must have been, fresh laughter surged between them. Wally slammed a hand against the table and his face turned the same shade as the robot in discussion. "Red Tornado—" she continued finally, "walked in, took _one look_ at the eight bras hanging from the hooks over the stove, _slowly_ turned to stare at Batman and Hal, and just silently walked away before either one could rush to explain what was happening. And then at that moment, _Conner_ came in—"

Wally practically choked on his gasps of air right then. "Oh man, this just keeps getting _better_ and _better!_" he howled. "Supey must have flipped _all_ his shi—"

Artemis expurgated Wally's screaming of profanity just in time by picking back her story: "—He walked in while in the middle of drinking a glass of water, and once he saw the scene before him, the contents of his mouth went flying _everywhere!_" Artemis paused for a few seconds to join Wally in the land of barely-conscious-from-laughing, and then finished, "Kryptonian-force water smacking Batman and Hal in the face, _all over_ the bras that had _just_ finished drying… It was _amazing_."

Wally held up a hand to catch his breath, and then painfully huffed out, "And this _entire_ time you were just—"

"—_sitting_ on the couch, _reading_ a book, _minding_ my own business," Artemis replied with wild hand gestures.

"Oh my god I can't believe that happened." Wally slowly shook his head and began wiping the tears from his flushed cheeks.

"Well that's what Hal gets for bringing bras as his only evidence, and Batman for choosing the Cave's stove hooks to dry them!" Artemis riposted.

The two sat in silence for a few moments to regulate their breathing and composure. Wally flicked a stray crumb from the table and began chuckling all over again.

"Poor Supey," he sighed.

"Yeah, eight bras at once. Never seen him so traumatized before."

Wally paused in mid-flick and looked up. "Eight?" he repeated. "But I thought the stove only had seven hooks."

Artemis shot him her trademark dead-pan stare. "Um, I'm pretty positive it's eight," she responded calculatingly. "Who puts up odd-numbered hooks anyway?"

"Exactly," Wally pointed out. "Which is why I remember it being _seven_, not eight."

"Wally, I _live_ there. It's eight."

"Arty, my _memory_ is _better_ than yours. It's seven."

"Excuse me?" Artemis scoffed. "That's a bucket of bull-crap."

Wally grinned. "I'm telling you: _se-ven_," he repeated in a sing-song voice.

Artemis exhaled loudly. What did Wally and an unmoving donkey have in common? They were both stubborn asses. "Fine, let's just settle this once and for all." She took out her phone from her pocket and pulled up Conner's contact information. "We'll ask the most reputable source from this story."

Wally snorted, but before Artemis could click the "Call" button, he placed his hand over hers, sending a momentary tingle through both their nerves. "Wait," he interrupted, "let's put a bet on this-" He winked at her. "—And make it fun."

Artemis narrowed her eyes, but her lips slowly arched into a sprightly grin. "Challenge accepted," she responded. "Name your terms."

Wally leaned back and placed his arms behind his head. "If you lose," he began, his voice dripping with devilish intentions, "you have to hold a tarantula in your hand for three seconds."

Artemis's eyes widened. "_Are you fu_—" she almost screeched.

"Nuh uh!" Wally quickly rushed forward with a finger to shush her next words. "Mind the innocent," he added with crisp gaiety.

Artemis fell silent. She wordlessly seethed as she eyed Wally with a hawk-like stare.

And speaking of hawks…

"But if I _win_," she finally spoke, "_you_ have to pose with an owl on your arm for three seconds."

It was now her turn to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show of color draining from Wally's face.

"I should have never told you that," he grumbled.

Artemis laughed, and held out her hand. "Do we have a deal?" she asked.

Wally pretended to spit in his own hand, and slapped it to the inside of her palm with a hearty shake. "Better prepare yourself for the sensation of eight furry legs crawling up your arm!" he teased.

"We'll see," was all Artemis confidently replied before freeing her hand and initiating the conversation with their silly debate's mediator. She turned the speakerphone on and impatiently tapped the table's surface to each anticipating ring.

Across from her, Wally began snort-laughing anew as memories of the story rushed back to the surface, and could be heard muttering through chuckles, "It's just that… _imagery_… of Red Tornado and Supey's reactions…I wonder if the G-nomes even showed him what—"

"Uh, hello?" Conner's confused greeting cut short Wally's musings.

"Hey, Conner," Artemis responded smoothly, "How are you?"

"Um, good." The perplexed frown on his face was clearly transposable to his voice. "Is everything alright?"

"Absolutely dandy," Artemis answered. "Hey, are you, uh, home right now? Wally and I actually have a quick question for you…"

Wally leaned over the table and turned the phone towards him. "Hey Supes," he greeted animatedly. "Can you go to the kitchen, and count how many hooks are above the stove?"

There was a deep sigh on the other line, and the muffled scuff of a chair being pushed back against the stone floor.

"What have you been up to?" Artemis asked out of curiosity.

"Eating," he answered simply. "I love soup." His words echoed against the stone interior of the dining area. "Um, okay," he continued, "there's… one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven hooks above the stove."

Wally silently fist-pumped into the air and Artemis scrunched up her face in disbelief. "Wait, what?" she recoiled, "Only _seven?_ Conner, are you _sure_ you didn't miss one?"

"Nope," he answered, followed by a deep chuckle. "Did you just lose a bet?"

At his comment, Wally unleashed an amused howl. Artemis pursed together her lips and glared at the phone.

"Well," Superboy continued with an air of lightness, "have fun." A beep soon followed, signaling the end of the call and the beginning of Artemis's impending arachnid-filled doom.

Wally waited for her to meet his eyes before doing anything, and when she finally did, he crossed his arms across his chest and cocked a solitary eyebrow.

"_No_," Artemis barked through gritted teeth.

"You can't back out of this now!" Wally pushed. "We shook on it."

"I didn't think we were being _serious!_"

Without warning, Wally unleashed a feral clucking sound, and Artemis twitched her head in surprise. She widened her eyes and spoke slowly, "_Did you just_—"

"Bok bok bok!" This time, the speedster included head swivels and synchronized clapping to maximize the obnoxious-factor.

Artemis's jaw muscles tightened. "I can't believe you're mocking me," she snarled.

"And I can't believe you're backing out of our sacred pact!"

"It was all just fun and games!"

"Until _someone_—" Wally gestured at her, "—loses a bet!"

Artemis crossed her arms and remained silent.

"Oh, come on," Wally continued. "You wouldn't be acting like this if I had lost. You'd already be throwing me into a flock of owls already." No reply; only death-glares. "Okay fine." He rose from his chair and picked their empty trays off the table. "Let's at least start moving and go see the rest of the animals." He placed the trays away on the garbage disposal behind him, but when he turned back, Artemis had still not moved even her eye muscles. He smirked.

"You know how adorable you look when you pout like that?"

At least the comment led her to unfold her arms. "I'm even more adorable when I perform murderous acts," she volleyed.

"Okay, that's it," Wally declared exasperatedly. "It's time to bust out the ultimate weapon." He slowly held out one hand to Artemis, and infiltrated her vision with round, pleading eyes, and just the smallest, most adorable, lip wobble.

It was pathetic, really, Artemis tried to convince herself, but her eye-roll was to hide the birling hummingbird in her chest. She finally sighed and took his hand. Their fingers naturally slid into an intertwining embrace, and he led her away from the picnic tables.

"Spiders are really cool," Wally began in a casual way to mollify her. "Did you know spiders rely on a combination of muscles and blood pressure to move? They contract certain muscles which increases blood pressure in their legs, and then joint extension."

Artemis hunched up her shoulders and shuddered. "I hate thinking about their legs."

"Okay okay, um, did you know Wolf spider mothers carry around their young on their backs? They give them piggy-back rides!"

"That's _still_ horrifying because I'm picturing this _giant_ spider carrying around a _million little spiders_ that will just get _everywhere_ and—"

"What about," Wally quickly interjected, "how spider silk is so strong it can stop a Boeing 747 dead in the air?"

Artemis opened her mouth to unleash another string of frenzied complaints, but stopped and shrugged one shoulder. "I guess that's pretty neat." She paused and looked pensively off to the side. "I wonder if I could create an arrow that releases a net made of spider silk."

"I bet you could." The exhibit for insects and arachnids was now within sight, and Wally was determined to keep Artemis at least somewhat distracted so they could stay on his pre-planned course. "The dragline silk is the part you want. The toughest known is produced by Darwin's black spider."

"Think I can convince the Justice League to let me get my hands on some of that stuff?" she mused.

"Absolutely. I bet Barry knows where and how," he added. "I'll ask him tonight."

Wally was able to work his magically large mouth into miraculously delivering the both of them to the line of people waiting to meet Zir, the zoo-proclaimed friendly tarantula. Artemis, hardly from oblivious, could have never let Wally blindly lead her this far without a fight, but she was secretly excited as much as she was visibly terrified. Her resolve to finally face her fear was gaining momentum against the actual anxiety, and she was genuinely thankful for the push Wally offered her.

However, that didn't translate to a complete nonchalant reaction to when the talkative trainer placed the mud-colored tarantula on the back of her hand. She immediately stopped breathing, and clenched every single muscle in an effort not to fling the arachnid to the sky and bolt for her life. The back of her neck flared and she felt the sickly prickly sensation of sweat rising from her pores.

She hated how hairy the tarantula was; how horrifying its body-to-leg proportions were; how its movements were smooth yet rigid at the same time and thus contradicted in visual cacophony. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was aware of her other hand's vice-like grip on Wally's hand, but the majority of her focus was on the spider's feet tip-toeing up her wrist.

Wally was sure no cell in his right hand was currently receiving any oxygen, but he was too amused with observing her to care. He was feeling a surge of pride at her behavior for finally confronting one of her greatest phobias. How many people can say they've done that in their life?

The smiling trainer stepped back, and her voice was replaced with the chirps of the photographer calling for big smiles. Artemis knew hers was plastic at best as she removed her eyes from the spider, but definitely not her heightened sense of touch.

"You're doing great," Wally whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

Then, undeniably, the sound of his encouraging voice propelled a surge of courage through Artemis, and the cold sweat around her torso slowly faded away. Almost magically, she felt a cocoon of calm float over her, and she was almost in a dream-like state when she loosened her clasp on Wally's hand and lifted the spider back to the trainer. It was only when they had exited the room did she unleash a very uncharacteristic girly squeal and shiver.

Wally laughed, but scooped her into his embrace and rubbed her back methodically.

"Okay okay, I'm sorry for making you go through that, but that wasn't so bad, right?" He leaned back to scrutinize her reaction. "You confronted your fear!"

Artemis's glare turned into a sigh and then the smallest hint of a sincere shrug.

"I guess a small part of me has always wanted to hold a tarantula." It was true; she had always been curious of her reaction, and the entire experience only added fuel to her addiction to adrenaline.

"Really?" Wally retorted, completely baffled. "Because I can't tell if that's sarcasm or not."

Artemis snorted and wiggled herself free from his arms. "Don't ruin the moment."

As soon as she turned around, she saw the entrance to the "Birds of Prey" aviary and excitedly nudged Wally towards it. For his part, he took one split-second glance at the sign and turned into a pillar of concrete.

"Nope. Nope nope nope nope," he muttered with matching shakes of his head. "An owl is a bird of prey and therefore I do not wish to be acquainted with this exhibit—"

"Oh _come on_," Artemis interrupted with a roll of her eyes, "you gave me a reason to confront my fear, and now I'm returning the favor!" She grabbed both of his hands and pulled, but he remained rooted.

He scoffed at her. "But _I_ didn't lose a _bet!_"

"I wasn't being sarcastic!"

"Neither was I!"

"At least you don't have to actually _hold_ one!"

"Just seeing an owl stare back at me is freaky enough!"

This was escalating into another one of their frisky arguments—one where neither side was actually being serious, but definitely still stalwart and unrelenting at the same time. They glared heatedly at each other through their smirks, and continued pressing buttons just for the sake of spark.

"But you're supposed to be my _boyfriend_," Artemis reminded him with a theatrical whine. "Are you really going to let me go in there _alone?_" As a bonus play, she stuck out her lower lip and widened her eyes.

Wally gritted his teeth and with a growl of defeat, finally acquiesced. He hoped in the future, she would refrain from using that pout, because that look could make him even lasso the moon and stars for her.

Fortunately for Wally, all of the owls were asleep, and merely resembled obelisks or globes of tawny feathers. The only owls awake and active were a clan of four burrowing owls actively darting around like sugar-filled children.

"They remind me of you," Artemis teased.

Instead of replying verbally, Wally looked at her squarely and made an elaborate motion of vomiting on her face. Artemis, however, remained unfazed and unflinching, and her glare was enough for any real vomit to scurry back Wally's esophagus in panic.

"_Nothing_ scares you," Wally noted. "Well, except for sp—"

"Let's not go there," Artemis sliced through with a warning look.

"Go where?" Wally replied facetiously. "We already went to see Zir, the eight-legged, giant, furry—"

"Wally, I am going to wake up _all_ the owls in this exhibit and throw you in, I _swear_—"

Wally held up the palm of his hand in surrender and laughed. He ceased his goading for the time being, and was even congenial enough to admit the burrowing owls were acceptable and somewhat aesthetically inoffensive.

Next door to the birds was an exhibit aptly titled "The Batcave". For obvious reasons, Wally and Artemis went inside to explore, and concluded its dark, cool, and damp atmosphere to be analogous to what they imagined Batman's lair to be like.

"I hear Rob once convinced Bats to take home a model T-Rex from one of their missions, and it's chilling in the Batcave," Wally randomly stated as they watched a pair of Indiana bats fold and unfold their wings while resting upside down in their roost.

"I remember watching them on TV," Artemis added as a side thought, "and how much they both frightened _and_ impressed me."

"Hey, didn't you say you used to watch me on the News?" Wally inquired, remembering their _unforgettable_ mission in Bialya (pardon the pun).

"I, uh, what?" Artemis was completely caught off guard, but she quickly picked her stumbling tongue off the stairs. "Oh, yeah. Right. You, and Barry." She looked up and caught Wally's jaunty smile.

"Hung on to my every word, didn't you?" he prodded facetiously.

Artemis rolled her eyes. "You never spoke; only stood there and looked pretty."

"So you _did_ pay _very_ close attention to me."

"It's hard not to remember someone as dorky as you," she swiftly riposted, "especially if he looks like a _mustard bottle._"

"Hey! My costume is _awesome_ and you _know_ it. Haven't you seen how awesome the yellow and red looks when I run? It's like a stripe of epic, gracing your vision with God-sent glory…"

Artemis scrunched up her eyebrows in disbelief and laughter soon followed.

"Okay fine," she admitted sincerely. "Don't let this get to your big head, but I _did_ find you somewhat attractive from the start—"

She was interrupted by Wally fist-pumping the air. "Boom!" he exclaimed.

She rolled her eyes and continued, "I only gave you a hard time because I was nervous."

Wally almost stopped in his tracks. "Really?" he inquired with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah. I wasn't pure evil like _you_."

"Okay, I'll admit it: I'm not _actually_ the spawn of Satan. You had kind of…" he paused and mulled over the right phrase, "caught me off guard, and I let my mouth take over my head. _But_," he quickly added with a squeeze of her hand, "that doesn't mean I'll _ever_ stop giving you a hard time about anything and _everything_ you say, do, or think."

Artemis shielded her eyes from the light as they stepped outside, and turned to him with a sunny grin. "Well, I'm glad we feel the same way."

* * *

><p>Artemis tilted her head, and to her amusement, so did the turaco. She raised her phone to take a picture, and the reflection from the shiny lens captured the bird's attention. It hopped onto a lower branch and slowly inched inquisitively towards the intertwining of metal separating its haven from the soft-eyed girl until it was abreast against the cage wall. Artemis lowered her phone, and with a strange tender pull, slowly poked her finger through the diamond-shaped opening. The turaco's head immediately twitched downwards to focus on this strange new object, and without hesitation, opened its beak and decided to see if it tasted up to par with watermelons.<p>

Artemis laughed. The turaco's nibbling tickled, and she could see and feel its tiny pink tongue against the pad of her fingertip. She heard Wally walk up next to her and turned to him with a smile.

"That poor bird," he spoke, shaking his head. "He's being poisoned, and he doesn't even know it."

At the sound of another voice, the turaco spat out Artemis's finger and swiveled its head to gaze at the deeper-voiced newcomer.

"Isn't it cute?" Artemis replied, the relaxed smile never leaving her face. "It looks like a dove with a mohawk."

Now it was Wally's turn to make like the turaco and drop his current attention to look at Artemis. No witty comeback? Not even a caustic snort? Had the atmosphere of the zoo addled Artemis's brain so much with feelings of warmth and joy that her head was now empty of any biting remarks she usually had on reserve on the tip of her tongue?

But then he returned her grin, because in all honesty, he liked it. True, it was her fearless personality that first drew him to her, but this rare tender side was what made him stay by her side.

He wrapped his arms around her from behind, and rested his chin on her shoulder. He felt like he was hugging a teddy bear—a teddy bear of serenity and security. He felt… at home.

"Wally?"

"Mm?" he murmured.

"I think this guy's my favorite," Artemis stated.

Wally peered at the colorful turaco and tried to fathom the reasons why, but he knew she would only surprise him with her unpredictability. So, he asked, "Why's that?"

And Artemis's answer proved his correctness. "He wasn't afraid to take a chance," she responded.

Above them, the sky was splashed with the fushia and gold of early twilight, and the soft light casted everything in pastel gentleness. Artemis lowered her finger, and laid her hands to rest upon Wally's clasped around her abdomen. The turaco tilted its head, and after an almost unworldly knowing gaze, fluttered back to its high perch.

* * *

><p>It was the last show of the evening, right before closing time, so the bleachers in the large amphitheater were only sparsely dotted with the last enduring audience members. Wally and Artemis chose the top-most bleacher, away from the buzzing murmurs of people. After they sat down, they fell into a spell of comfortable silence, thankful for a chance to relax their legs and wiggle their toes.<p>

Artemis stared at the plastic canopy above them, artificially disguised as green terrain and choppily hiding the cold metal fence from aesthetic criticism. They were all in a cage—the birds, the trainers, and the audience. Her mind wandered to the top of the arena, where it brushed past the forest of tarp and poked at the curves of the wires. She wondered if there was ever a stalwart bird that rushed at the speckle of sky peeking between the fluttering holes of the fabric, only to crunch into the cold and unforgiving criss-crosses of its lifetime sentence. As beautiful as this sanctuary was, she felt sorry for the animals' lack of freedom.

Her gaze floated downwards, and landed on the palms of her hands resting on her legs. She could relate to these animals. She was well-taken care of; she survived, but was she really free? It wasn't a physical cage that trapped her; it was a metaphorical prison of disguises, lies, and secrets—secrets that shouldn't stay buried, as Zatanna had once told her.

The canopy ebbed and ballooned out as a breeze strayed through, wrapping Artemis with a chill that penetrated into her mind. She involuntarily shivered, and immediately felt a comforting pull into the boy next to her. Her body stopped shaking, but the thumping in her heart began anew.

She had never possessed a best-friend—someone who both mirrored and complemented her; someone who held her soul closer than their own; someone who could make her laugh and feel like the happiest person on earth; someone she trusted—until the day she met the most insufferable boy on this side of the galaxy.

She leaned against Wally's shoulder and looked up to find his eyes inches away from hers, his long eyelashes curling downwards like the swoops turning in her heart.

"I trust you," she found herself whispering out loud.

The corners of Wally's lips lifted and she heard him release a soft laugh. "I must have done _something_ right then," he responded just as quietly.

_Or everything_, Artemis thought, _everything from the obnoxious jokes to the blanket-wrapped-hugs under the stars._

She inhaled slowly and deeply, feeling her diaphragm stretch into her rib-cage until she imagined it being used by her heart as a trampoline to leap into her throat.

"Wally, there's something I should tell you," she began in a low voice, forcing all her courage to keep her eyes focused on his. He stared back, unblinking and unmoving except for the slight tightening of his fingers curled around her waist. "And I understand if you—" her heart caught against her tonsil, and she paused for her voice to return "—I understand if your opinion of me changes after this, and… I'm sorry for keeping it from you—and everyone else—for so long."

She picked her words carefully, and slowly but steadily poured out the truth about her family—Sportsmaster, Huntress, Cheshire—and her "origin"—the monster her father had created and the heroine she wanted to become. She explained the turning point when she had pounced into the world to do good, and how she had found the Team that one night. She recalled the sudden burst of longing and passion and hope when she saw them—teenagers her age, using their combined talents and fortitude to rid the world of broken bodies and broken souls. She had realized then that maybe she did have a purpose in the world, and she would slowly work to amend the wrongdoings in her past while carving a better future, even if it meant using her own bleeding bare hands. She didn't want who she _was_ to be who she _is_, or will become.

"So," she finally finished, "this is me." The final droplet of resolute bravery evaporated in the rawness of her honesty, and her gaze plummeted with a sigh. She then waited for the lash-out she thought she deserved; the abandonment she knew was the foundation of her life; the anger and hurt she understood too well.

There was no verbal response from Wally, but instead he laid the softest, most gentle kiss on her forehead, and the gesture nearly brought Artemis to tears. She blinked away the prickling sensation, and her eyes shot back up to stare searchingly into his. She didn't expect to see the absence of grating resentment and the presence of soft empathy.

"You _knew_," she spoke at last, her words like erupting puffs. "You knew _all this time_, didn't you?" Her voice began to rise in volume and octave in her fervor of revelation and relief. "You _knew_ and you didn't—"

"I did know," Wally interrupted her. He touched a loose strand of her hair and carefully smoothed it behind her ear. "But it didn't matter to me, because that's part of who you are."

And as they looked into each other's eyes then, it wasn't with their usual wink of surface spark and snark; it was with the wide eyes of tired sailors as they gazed at the first tinge of land—expectant, nervous, quivering, _longing_—the look of almost reaching a dream that was birthed eons ago and had sailed through sea monsters and rolling waves, all without charted maps or stars, only with the guidance of a lot of doubt and just a little bit of hope…

And as something like magnets electrified their pull, they suddenly realized: somewhere between the penguins and pandas and peregrine falcons, the pretending had become real. Somewhere intertwined amongst the goading and glares; banter and bickering; laughs and listening; stargazing and snowball fights; pointless texts and point-earning; Artemis had fallen just as in love with Wally as he of her.

And that's when they had their first true kiss; the first drop of a roller coaster after the slow climb upwards—this was when the real ride began.

It was different this time. It was as if the window between their two worlds was suddenly flung open, and the winds from the outside could finally dance with the fire within, twirling in a spiral of sparks, glittering with the desire to be so much more _closer_; touching, burning, igniting.

And then suddenly there was an explosion from the center of the stage, and they ripped away from each other in a jolt of alarm. Trained to expect the worst, they both started laughing when they saw it was only the theatrical commencement of the show, filled with golden sparklers and a rush of colorful birds zooming over the audience. The energetic voice of the host burst through, and the crowd cheered.

If asked about what tricks the birds did that evening, neither Artemis or Wally would be able to answer accurately. Both minds were so occupied with whirlwind thoughts that the show was merely a continuous flicker of visible light and auditory waves.

Artemis had leaned back onto Wally's chest, and his arm returned to its protective encircling around her. Neither looked at the other, but they just knew this was real, and the fast beats of their hearts mirrored the racing of their thoughts—excited thoughts about their future together.

As Artemis slowly slid her hand down the length of Wally's arm to his hand, the smoothness of his skin on his wrist was suddenly interrupted by a bump of something supple and foreign. She circled her hand around it, and brought up his wrist in curiosity. She unwrapped her fingers and a familiar band of emerald appeared. Startled, it took her a few seconds to remember this was the hair-tie she had flung at him at the end of the sparring session in October.

Wally watched her silently with entranced amusement.

"This _whole_ time?" she finally asked, her eyes returning to his.

Wally swiveled his hand so his fingers found hers and clasped them together. "This _whole_ time," he replied. "Creeped out?"

Artemis snorted. "I was going to say 'surprisingly flattered', but sure, that works too."

* * *

><p>"Oh wait!" Wally suddenly exclaimed as he veered to the left, tugging Artemis with him. "One last stop!"<p>

Artemis looked up and mentally rolled her eyes. The souvenir shop—of course.

A blast of heat greeted them when they entered, but there was no time for Artemis to stand and comfortably thaw. Wally was soon pulling her like a hyperactive child through the carousels of stuffed animals and toys. At one point he wandered off by himself, and she was finally able to stand still. She turned her head, and found herself staring back through a long mirror meant for the clothing section nearby.

Her hair was frizzing on the edges, her mascara was casting shadows beneath her eyes, and her cheeks were flushed pink—whether from the cold of the night, or the warmth of her heart, she couldn't tell. But this reflection was of a different girl than the one who had stared tentatively back in her bathroom this morning; this was a girl who was moving on to a new and more luminous chapter.

She slid off her hair elastic and ran her fingers through the wind-blown knots in her hair. Some strands wove silkily by, while others remained persevering and painful, and took more coaxing to untangle. Finally, she gathered her hair up for a new ponytail, only to have the elastic snap in half.

A pair of frustrated dark eyes stared back, and she relented to her hair's desire to cascade over her shoulders. The day was over anyway, so let the wild things be wild.

"Do you often let your hair down at souvenir shops?"

Wally had returned to her side with a bright plastic bag and an arm around her. She tilted her head towards his voice and was met with the squish of his lips to her cheeks. She giggled and made a motion to push him away, but there was a rustle of plastic and she instead found her palm touching a firm wall of downy softness.

"I got you a stuffed one," Wally murmured, "since I can't get you the real thing."

Artemis brought the object before her and found a near-replica of the red-crested turaco she had played with staring back.

"Souvenir," he whispered into her ear, sending droplets of anticipation sliding down her spine.

Artemis exhaled an airy laugh in response. "Souvenir for me, or souvenir for you?"

"Well," Wally softly responded as he moved her hair to the side and lightly kissed the back of her neck, "that would depend if you're talking about the turaco, or yourself."

Artemis turned around and pulled him into a hug. She looked up into his eyes, and all the tenderness in her heart gently washed over her expression. No amount of verbal gratitude would be stronger than her gaze—gratitude not only for the whimsical stuffed animal clutched in her hand, but also for Wally being her best friend, her confidant, her superhero, and her silly, stubborn, sweet boy.

Their walk to the taxi-stop was unhurried—neither one really wanted their perfect day to end. They were wrapped with an air of content fizzing with bubbles of disbelief that somehow, their stars had crossed, and the grey areas had finally melted into black and white.

Artemis was inured to the cold—long stake-outs on rainy rooftops and pursuits through snowy forests had trained her to strengthen her mind over body—but she couldn't sacrifice huddling against Wally with his arms wrapped tightly around her as they waited for their taxi. With each breath, she filled her lungs and heart with his scent and warmth, and with each heart-beat, she filled her body with comfort and joy in the purest form.

"Hey," Wally spoke, "remember that time we watched Paranormal Activity together?"

"Mmm," Artemis mumbled into his chest, "I try not to."

"Remember how I won our little argument?"

"As I said, I try not to remember that bleak day."

"Well, can I still redeem my rain-check?"

"Nothing involving spiders!" Artemis yipped as she jolted her face away and stared at him squarely.

Wally smirked and pushed back a strand of her hair. "_We-l-l-l_," he answered slowly, "that depends if the Valentine's date I'm asking you on contains spiders or not."

Artemis's initial scowl morphed into a grin, and then the brightest beam Wally had ever seen. It was a laugh without sound—just honey happiness wordlessly personified.

"Thinking that far ahead, are we?" she replied.

"Yeah." Wally's reply was breathy through his chuckle. "You have that stupid effect on me."

In reply, Artemis reached her hand up and ran her fingers slowly through his hair. His grip around her waist tightened in response. Artemis's fingers paused, and she slowly brought both arms to circle around his neck. The stuffed turaco bumped into his jawbone, and he tilted his head towards it with a smile. When his eyes turned back to her, she was tugging him down into a kiss, and he was sure there would never be a time when the touch of her lips to his wouldn't send his heart into the Milky Way.

"So, I take that as a yes?" Wally concluded when they finally pulled apart at the arrival of their taxi. He opened the car door and stepped aside.

As Artemis passed him on her way inside the vehicle, she gave him a shrug and a lopsided grin. "I guess you have no more rain-checks now," she answered.

"Are you allergic to saying the word 'yes' or something?" Wally quipped as he slipped in behind her.

"Perhaps," Artemis teased back.

Wally sighed, and raised his arm to tuck her into him.

"Thank you for today," Artemis murmured after the car pulled out of the zoo's parking lot.

"You're welcome. Did you have fun?"

"Absolutely."

Wally pushed back her hair and rested his lips on her forehead. "That's all that counts."

And as Artemis felt her entire being snuggle into the soft dip on Wally's shoulder, her mind traveled back to when this journey started: that random night in Gotham City when she had decided to chase a white streak in the sky down the rabbit hole. She had determined she was no Alice; there was no Wonderland for her to spiral into and discover a world created by her daydreams. But she had been wrong—only in the basis of what she had thought Wonderland consisted of. Maybe, she thought as her eyelids floated shut, maybe she had arrived there after all. Wonderland—she finally concluded-wasn't out there like a hidden valley between silver mountains; it was inside… past her pearly rib-cage and deep within the golden locket of her heart… and maybe her white rabbit was actually a speedster with red hair; a speedster who had arrived just in time.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** One more chapter and an Epilogue until the end! I won't be covering their Valentine's Day date; I'll just leave that up to your imaginations ;) If anyone would like to write about it, feel free! I'd love to read it!

Most of the animals were by request on Tumblr. Thank you all for your suggestions! I apologize for not being able to fit in every request. There were like, 20!

Thank you everyone for your continuous support and undying patience! I'm looking forward to reading your feedback on this chapter, and as always, I will try my best to respond to all of them!


	14. Amaranthine

_Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice._

**A/N:** Just a friendly reminder that this entire story—including the dates of Wally and Artemis's birthdays—were planned long before "Coldhearted" aired.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_**  
>XIV. Amaranthine<strong>  
><em>I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, then all at once.<em>_  
><em>- John Green, "The Fault in Our Stars"

* * *

><p><strong>Mount Justice<br>April 15, 15:48 EDT**

"—Happy Birthday dear Wally, Happy Birthday to you!"

There was a final collective cheer, followed by the whoosh of Wally blowing out sixteen candles.

Artemis slid next to him on the couch and kissed him on the cheek. "Did you make a wish?" she asked.

"Nah." He turned and stole a swift kiss on her lips. "Everything I've ever wished for is right here in front of me."

"Hey KF! Cut the sap, and start cutting the cake!"

Everyone laughed. Artemis shot a raised eyebrow at Robin, which he returned with his characteristic lopsided grin. She turned back to Wally, and her eyes traveled from the flex of his wrists, up his arms and shoulders, and finally rested on his fluttering auburn eyelashes.

Loving Wally—and being loved by him—was a different tint of happiness Artemis never knew existed. It wasn't like the framed portrait of her life lacked color; but the glossy filter Wally added heightened the contrast and instilled a richer tone to every outline and hue. It was like taking an old photograph and touching up the blush of lips and cheeks, and reapplying the sparkle of eyes and the sun. Beauty itself seemed to become reinvented.

A kiss, Artemis had always thought, was simply the physical touch of two lips—nature's little trick of bringing two compatible genomes together for the success of the species. But when Wally captured her lower lip into a delicate tango of cherry lip-balm and minty breath, she felt a rush in her chest like the unfurling of wings. Her entire soul would become feather-light, and soon her reality was transformed into clouds and sky and galaxies of stars. When they finally pulled apart, the atmosphere quivered like the air surrounding an orchestra's final note; an atmosphere of an imperial symphony come full circle—of suspended violin bows and resonating chords. Their eyes would linger closed until each would slowly open to a smile and the soft touch of hands to cheeks, neither one ever fully believing this was not actually heaven.

And then there were the small acts of holding hands as they walked down the streets, of her head resting on his chest during movies, and of simply being close to each other and the feeling of their auras enveloping their sprightly jokes and glowing gazes.

Now that they were together and free from the bristling doubts of rejection, each enjoyed hearing the stories of how one fell for the other. It was like watching a movie again but with the director's simultaneous comments, and all the illusive hints were suddenly now lucent. Wally liked to joke he was "the King of Fools" for not seeing the signs, to which Artemis would retort: "So does that make me your Queen of Fools?"

Then they would just laugh, and agree all that mattered was both eventually took the dive into the fog only to realize paradise was a simple leap of faith away.

There hadn't been a need to tell the Team about their relationship; everyone had somehow silently known the trip to the zoo was going to be the final click of a puzzle long in the making. When they returned to the Team on their next mission two days later, the only telling sign from their companions were the long nodding smiles.

Oh, and along with a few quiet monetary exchanges. The betting platform had been irresistible, of course. The word on the street was The Flash owed quite a fortune to Green Arrow, but the former had been purposely avoiding the latter to the point where Batman was about to take them both aside for a stern glaring-at. It had even brought a chuckle from Superman.

Artemis passed the slices of cake around, and flittered from one buzzing conversation to the next. At one point she paused and closed her eyes for a few seconds, just to soak in the camaraderie and diapason of her teammates' voices. She remembered that day only a year ago—how lonely and miserable she was; how her only strength in life was to hold onto her passion and the thought of her mother finally coming home.

And then everything changed that August night when the blackness of the sky suddenly burned with a white streak. It had all lead up to this concatenation of their lives: the laughter of Conner and M'gann as he tickled icing onto her cheek; the world-play between Robin and Zatanna discussing the opposite of "opposite"; Racquel loudly asserting the logic of piñatas, while Kaldur softly frowned and murmured at the paper-mache creature in his hands, before passing its ruffled body to a curious Red Tornado; Captain Marvel rustling a bag of marshmallows and trying to dare Roy and The Flash to participate in "Chubby Bunny" while Wolf whined with every crackle of the bag; and the laughter of Wally as he zipped around all his friends—always the laughter of Wally.

She felt a nudge at her side and opened her eyes to see Zatanna and Raquel grinning at her with tilted heads and raised eyebrows.

"Zoning out already, girl?" Racquel teased. "But we haven't even opened the presents!"

"I wasn't zoning out," Artemis retorted; "I was just picturing you and Kaldur playing Spin the Bottle and—"

She was cut off by a sharp jab to the ribs from Racquel and a trickle of giggles from Zatanna. But before any of the girls could continue the conversation, Artemis felt the feathery fingers of wind brush against the back of her neck, followed by a tickling warm kiss on her shoulder. She laughed, and made a grab at her perpetrator only for her palms to meet air. She looked up, and caught Wally's wink from across the room.

"I'm just so happy they're together," Zatanna sighed at no one in particular.

"And about time too!" Racquel added. "I swear those two were the _last_ to know they were actually dating!"

Artemis turned back to her friends with an eye-roll, but there was no sarcasm in the world to hide the radiance on her cheeks and the dance in her eyes.

In the kitchen, Wally was in the midst of scooping more tortilla chips and salsa onto his plate when he caught a very distinctive jingle of laughter. Even if they were on a tarmac in the busiest airport in the shadow of an erupting volcano, he would always be able to distinguish her laughter. And even if that airport were exploding in flames from a storm of lava and smoldering ash, just the sound of her voice in a crescendo of mirth would bring him to ataraxia.

He was living in an ocean of exhilaration, rolling through daily waves of gratitude and tenderness. He was a lucky boy floating through newly built castles, and swirling among scintillating schools of fish he had never noticed before. And being with Artemis—loving her, cherishing her, protecting her (if only from spiders)—gave him the epiphany of what it really meant to be a superhero. For the first time in his life, he didn't put his own happiness first. For the first time, someone's wellbeing came before his own, and as long as Artemis was smiling, his life was perfect.

* * *

><p>Artemis waited until the party had ended before whispering to Wally to come with her to the beach. In her hand she held a large rectangular book-like object wrapped in silver. As everyone said their good cheers and good-byes and walked towards the zeta-tubes, Artemis and Wally made their way in the opposite direction to the quiet beach outside Mt. Justice.<p>

"Your birthday present," Artemis announced as she handed over the object in her hand. She sat down in the sand, and motioned for Wally to join her.

"You mean I get another present other than _you?_" Wally quipped as he plopped down.

Artemis widened her eyes into a look of disbelief. "_Shocking_!" she riposted.

The speedster laughed, and began to carefully peel back the gift-wrap. It revealed a large and thin book, bound by metal spirals, and looking extremely familiar. Suddenly, Wally's mind jumped back to November of last year, an image of Artemis lying in her bed with a wound to her head.

"Oh Arty, re-gifting was _so_ last year," he spoke.

This elicited a snort from Artemis, but without further reply, she flipped back the cover of the book.

"_The Story of How Wally and Artemis Came to Be_," Wally read. He angled his face towards her and smiled. "Is this a textbook about where babies come from?" he joked.

Artemis knocked him playfully on the shoulder, and he looked back down, eagerly turning to the next page.

It was a sketchbook, drawn and rendered by Artemis, and it depicted all the pivotal moments that had led to their friendship and then ultimately, relationship. The first drawing was a portrait of the two swimming in the ocean at dawn—or rather, Artemis was splashing and laughing, while Wally stood comically shaking with cold on the sand wearing nothing but loudly colored Batman boxers.

"I can't believe you still remember that," he pretended to lament painfully.

Artemis tapped her temple once and stuck her tongue at him. "What goes into the vault, stays in the vault."

"Wow. You're a _really_ good artist," Wally acknowledged as he flipped to the next drawing of the two of them on a couch, with himself eating a giant strawberry and Artemis gingerly leaning on his shoulder while staring unblinkingly at a glowing television screen. "Aww look at how scared you were!" He then proceeded to make cooing noises and wiggled his fingers at her, only to be swatted away.

"Tickle me and _die_," she snarled.

"Even on my _birthday?_" Wally gasped, with mock mortification lighting up his face.

"Ironic, right?"

Wally snorted, and turned back the page to the next sketch: a group of dancing termites wearing party harts while inside what appeared to be—

"_Are those my Batman boxers?_" he practically shrieked.

Artemis released a peel of laughter at his reaction, and couldn't speak for nearly a minute as she tumbled backwards into the sand. Wally, bright red and faking ire, patiently waited for her to quiet down.

"Vaulted?" he flatly assumed.

"Forever," Artemis replied with a wink as she sat up.

With every sketch, Wally had no problem in remembering almost the exact details of each event, as most were some of the same memories he had held onto when measuring the rungs in their growing friendship and eventual relationship: frolicking in the park with Finnegan the Corgi; their first fiery sparring session which ended in him acquiring a little piece of Artemis as his souvenir; stargazing on the beach; the candid and comical moment of him flapping the sleeves of his jacket around like a windmill; the apology after their first regrettable fight; Artemis playing charades as Cupid aiming a love-arrow at his heart; fighting back-to-back each other's greatest physical fears in life; that teasing mistletoe kiss on his brightly blushing cheek; a fairytale rendition of Artemis in shining armor rescuing Wally the prince; and lastly, their trip to the zoo, and that first real kiss that ended the spark and set forth the fire.

"I know it's not much," Artemis concluded apprehensively as he closed the back cover, "but it's a way to remember some of my favorite memories of us so far, so—"

Wally silenced her with a kiss. "It's perfect, and I love it," he replied as he drew away. "Just like you," he added.

"Oh Wally," Artemis exhaled as she inhaled the kiss, "you are such a sap."

Wally wrapped an arm around her shoulders and planted a firm kiss on her temple. "Yeah, but I'm _your_ sap now."

"Oh goody, aren't I the _luckiest_ girl in the world."

"Hey, tell your sarcasm it needs to work on its poker face."

They remained in comfortable quiescence, each basking in the glow of the setting sun and each other, and feeling all the silent words pass between them without ever speaking. Artemis leaned into Wally's shoulder, and he nuzzled his cheek against her hair. Together, they watched the seagulls glide over the golden waters, their silhouettes black against the sky of citrine and amethyst—velvet shadows against a backdrop of jewels. The only sounds that reached their bubble of halcyon were the eurhythmic washes of the ocean against sand, and the goodnight calls of the birds.

"So, I heard the news," Wally spoke suddenly. "About your mom."

Artemis smiled into his neck. "Yeah, I can't wait to see her again. Who would've thought the Wayne Foundation also provided lawyers? And great ones at that."

"Well, with your dad confessing everything, they were bound to let her go," Wally reasoned.

Artemis nodded, and resumed staring at the smooth line between water and sky.

"What do you like better: sunrises, or sunsets?"

Her question was random, but it was nothing new in their time together. They both enjoyed discovering each other's fresh opinions and stories even after nine months of seeing and talking to each other almost every week.

"Sunrises," Wally answered almost immediately. "I like the promise of a new day. A fresh piece of paper, I guess, and all the excitement that comes with the unknown. What about you, Beautiful?"

"Hmm, sunsets."

"Because they're _purdy?_" Wally teased.

"Not for their beauty," Artemis replied, brushing away his baby-talk, "but what _makes_ them beautiful, you know? All the dirt and smoke kicked and thrown into the air; all those things we say are ugly. But then at the end of the day, you realize it's the ugly things in life that make living all the more beautiful."

Wally smiled into her hair and breathed in her wild fire. "Kind of like your life," he murmured into her golden locks.

"And yours," Artemis mused out loud. "And everyone else on the Team and the League. And the rest of the world."

Wally remained thoughtfully quiet for a spell, before speaking. "Remember that quote you told me, about Kent Nelson's passing…the one about the sunrise?"

"Life is a great sunrise. I do not see why death should not be an even greater one," Artemis repeated.

"Yeah, that one." Wally smiled, and then turned back to the sky. "Maybe the end of all things is actually a sunset, its colors made more brilliant with the living of life…"

Artemis didn't reply right away. She was lost in her own thoughts, just as her eyes were lost in the tones of blue in the sky. "No, I don't think sunsets symbolize the end," she quietly spoke finally. "I think they represent a new beginning—" she turned to Wally and drew him closer, "—the dawn of another starry night, then of _another_ bright sunrise…"

Her final words trailed away as dots of air upon Wally's lips, and they kissed slowly and passionately as the final rays of the sun reached upwards, until the glittering orb finally disappeared into the dark hills behind them.

**Mount Justice  
>April 16, 6:02 EDT<strong>

The first thing Artemis noticed when she gradually woke up was the smell. Though it didn't remind her of her own room, it was nonetheless a bouquet of comfort. It smelled like a swirl of earth and mint, mixed with the scent of laundry detergent and the final vestiges of familiar cologne. She took deep breaths, feeling her lungs and diaphragm swell with the fragrance, and picturing it whirling around like eddies. She continued to silently breathe until the scent disappeared into her memory.

The second thing Artemis observed was the warmth surrounding her. She was lying on her side, and there was an arm underneath her neck that had snaked its way protectively around her shoulder, and another arm lying relaxed over her abdomen. She then recalled never in her life has she slept so soundly, and wondered briefly if this bear hug was a key player.

And lastly, Artemis became aware of the sheets around her—or more so, their absence. She was wearing nothing but sleep shorts and a loose t-shirt, but not even the northeastern spring could chill her at this state.

Finally, after noting these differences, serenity surged through her. She remembered returning to Wally's room after their time on the beach, and lying next to him on his bed just simply talking and holding each other. She then remembered falling asleep with her head on his shoulder, and in the cradle of his arms.

Then, right on cue with her thoughts, there was a rustling behind her and then she felt the softest, most gentle kiss on the back of her neck. She sighed, and turned around.

"Morning, Beautiful," Wally mumbled groggily.

Artemis grinned. "I could get used to waking up to that."

"Morning, Arty," he repeated in a sing-song voice.

"But_ that_ might still require some more time."

Wally smiled and pulled her closer. "I think we're going to have plenty of that."

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><p><strong>AN:** Short and sweet! Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to leave a comment (if you so choose, of course!) See you in the Epilogue!

Also, the namesake of this chapter comes from Enya's song of the same title. It's very beautiful, soothing, and fitting for this chapter.

P.S. Parallels with Chapter 1, anyone?


	15. Epilogue

_Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice._

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><p><em><strong>A Lingering Feeling<strong>_**  
>Epilogue<strong>

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><p><strong>San Diego<br>January 14, 2:45 PM**

_10 Years Later_

There was a quiver in the air; a finely strung tension vibrating down the bowstring of her spine. It had accompanied her the entire day as they retraced the steps of their teenage selves, remembering a time of naïve blithe and stolen glances of hope. Today, they had seen all the same animals, now either older like themselves, or moved on like fallen heroes. Some exhibits had changed—polished ecru remodeling, or perimeters of green instead of metal fences. But that quiver of excitement in the air—that same buzzing of the unexpected—was still there. However, this time it was a vibrating chromatic scale of the type of depth that can only be achieved by the passing of years—ten years, exactly.

Artemis shielded her eyes from the afternoon sun and made a panoramic sweep of the stage in front of them. There was a bright azure pool bordered by fawn alcoves of stone beaches, with towering screens for everyone of any size in the crowd to see the performances clearly. A clear plastic wall served as the side of the pool directly in front of the audience, and Artemis's eyes lingered contently on the mirror of blue.

Strong arms wrapped around her, and she looked sideways into a freckled face and limitless green eyes.

"We're just one bench away from the Splash Zone," Wally stated, somewhat proudly.

"Not fond of your natural element today, Baywatch?" Artemis retorted.

Wally gave her a squeeze, and tickled her cheek with the stubble on his jaw. She giggled and reached up to push him away, but he only tightened his arms around her. "Nah," he replied, "don't have my lucky Batman boxers with me today."

Their bodies, minds, and hearts may have changed, but the jokes and nicknames would always remain immutable.

The show started with a dramatic entrance of sea lions. Some dove into the water and created small and icy tidal waves that would rain down on the daring children seated in the first few rows, but would always fall within sprinkles away from Wally and Artemis. Every time that occurred, Wally shot Artemis a fulfilling grin, which she responded with a patient pat on the knee.

Halfway through the exhilarating show, the trainers and performers on stage called upon the audience for two volunteers. To Artemis's surprise (or maybe lack of), Wally's hand shot into the air at the speed of a jet plane.

"Oo, oo, pick me, pick me!" he shouted out while bouncing up and down on the bench.

And then, to Artemis's surprise again (this time it was genuine), the lead trainer on stage laughed and actually called out, "How about that gentlemen sitting just beyond the Splash Zone with that _splash_ of red hair?"

Wally pumped his fist in the air, and then to Artemis's third surprise that minute, he grabbed her hand and pulled her with him.

"C'mon Babe, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" he urged as he steadied her.

She blew a sigh into her bangs, and her breath swirled backwards to watch the two of them walk down the stairs and onto the stage. A performer asked for their names, and then belted into the crowd, "Wally and Artemis, everyone! And are you two from around here? What's that? Top secret information? Well, we always like a good mystery!"

Artemis and Wally were given two light-weight lifejackets, and then directed to the edge of the center beach. A sea lion silkily glided towards them, and accepted a hearty belly rub before dashing back into the water, sprinkling everyone on stage with a rain of silver droplets.

"Ah!" Artemis yelped in surprise. "That's freaking cold!"

Next to her, Wally's only response to the sudden water was laughter. Of course, Artemis thought, that man _is_ practically a walking heater.

"Now, Wally and Artemis, I'm going to make you two our honoree trainers of the hour," announced the main performer into the microphone. "Marina—" he pointed at the sea lion frolicking in the water "—is going to take this ball—" he tossed an opaque sphere into the water, which was instantly scooped up by Marina's smiling jaws and carried away to the end of the pool "—and bring it to you, once you give the signal." He turned to Artemis and straightened her arm directly in front of her, and asked her to mimic a "come here" motion with her fingers. "And then you will hand the ball to Wally for the next trick."

"Simple enough," Artemis agreed amicably.

She turned to the sea lion, which resting on a stony island and watching her patiently with dark round eyes, and brought forward her arm. Her fingers curled up, and the obedient seal lion slipped into the water. However, she merely swam in a circle and popped back to her original post.

"Oh ho!" the trainer chuckled into the microphone. "I think we might need to further entice Marina." He leaned down and opened a bucket at his feet, and pulled out a glistening herring. He handed it to Artemis, and the sea lion immediately perked up her head and wiggled her long ivory whiskers.

The edges of Artemis's lips twitched upwards, and she glanced sideways at Wally, who caught her smile and stuck out his tongue. They were both extremely familiar with the use of food as bait for the lawn mowed or a rack of dishes cleaned.

She held out the fish in one hand, and beckoned again with her other arm. Then, she felt the quiver in the air again, like the whole world was holding onto a silent note before the final cadence.

The sea lion scooped in a gasp of air, and dove down into the lattices of light and water. Silence followed her until she burst through the surface and into the sun. She dropped the ball at the blonde woman's feet, and accepted her tasty reward with a bark and gulp. And then she leaned onto her side and raised her flipper into the air.

Artemis laughed, and accepted the hi-five to the cheer of the crowd. She picked up the sphere at her feet and handed it to Wally. He took it with both hands and, to her amazement, expertly unscrewed the ball so it opened into a secret airtight compartment. He removed a square box of velvet the color of dark wine, and his next movement knocked the breath out of her lungs, and plunged her heart into an electric dive.

He slowly dropped down to one knee, and opened the box to reveal a shimmering diamond bordered by tiny emeralds and golden topaz, all resting on a crown and band of glowing platinum. The onlookers immediately fell into a collective hush, and Artemis's hand flew to her mouth.

"Almost ten years ago, you walked into my life and told me proudly you were here to stay," Wally began, his sonorous voice reverberating into the stands. "Well, Artemis, I'm hoping you're still here to stay—this time with me, and forever by my side. So, Beautiful," he continued with a smile that made the California sun dull in juxtaposition, "whadya say? Will you marry me?"

And thus Artemis Crock, a woman of always a million spirited words, was rendered speechless, and could only nod and smile through her tears of joy as Wally slipped the ring onto her finger. She leapt into his arms, and crushed their lifejackets between as they kissed before a cheering audience. Even Marina the sea lion popped out of the water to give her blessing in loud happy barks.

"So," Wally exhaled through his grin as they finally pulled apart, "how many points was this?"

Artemis laughed, and pressed her forehead to his. She couldn't believe he still remembered that little game they used to play. "As many as you'd like, and for as long as you like."

"Infinity then," Wally replied, "and forever."

_**Love is like a friendship caught on fire—in the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals—deep-burning and unquenchable.**__  
>- Bruce Lee<em>

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><p><strong>AN:** As far as I'm concerned, Earth-16's San Diego Zoo is fully capable of hosting a live sea lion show :P

Thank you everyone for accompanying me on this adventure! I want to give a special thank-you to the following individuals. It was with their help and support that made this story possible.

Thank you Satellites on Parade and Kenward for being my patient and keen-eyed betas; Black Licorice Addict and MidnightRoulette for your friendship and cheerleading; Tumblr users Dottaraqn, Emmaseashore, The-Princess-Siofra, Annicaspoon, and Brella for your beautiful accompanying artwork; and Tumblr user Yukiiix for making the cover illustration.

Also, I'd like to thank DC Comics, Greg Weisman, and Brandon Vietti for creating the world of Young Justice, and allowing writers like myself to partake in such a fantastic adventure with such lovely and strong characters.

A shout-out to my boyfriend, who I am hopelessly in love with—a love that blossomed all over the last chapter of this story. I just hope he doesn't mind lending the backwards version of his nickname to the friendly tarantula from Chapter 13 :P

Lastly, the largest thank you to every single one of you for reading and leaving notes of support. I am deeply humbled and thankful for everyone I have shared this journey with.


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